In the last few days before departing Kansas City, I went around and said goodbye to a number of friends and tried to eat at all my favorite restaurants.

Over the last four years, as I traveled back and forth to KC from distant photo assignments, a number of families and individuals supported my transient lifestyle by providing me with shelter, transportation and other necessities. To them, if they are reading this, my heartfelt thanks and gratitude go out to you.

Also, during this time, particularly in the last year, I have made a handful of terrific new friends, who are now wondering why I need to go. Eventually they will come to terms with the fact that that is what I do and that I won't stay away forever. It takes a little getting used to. My old friends simply take my nomadic behavior in stride. I always return like a missing pet.