Description: Over a decade ago, I set out on my first road trip to collect information about my ancestors and visit the places they lived. I jokingly refer to these as my "Dead Ancestor Tours" but I also visit living relatives. I wasn't completely unprepared for this three–week trip, but knowing what I do now, after many such trips, I could have accomplished more. The most successful trips come about because of preparation time, well spent. I will not be covering the National Archives or Library of Congress in this talk.

BIO: Eilene Lyon has spent decades researching families (hers and others) to piece together narrative stories about the past. She writes regularly on her blog, Myricopia (Meer–uh–COPE–ee–uh), and has published articles in local and regional genealogy and history magazines. A lover of the great outdoors, Eilene lives in Durango, Colorado, where she enjoys mountain biking, skiing, bird and plant identification, and hiking with her two enthusiastic mutts. She has a BS in Environmental Biology with additional qualifications in Geographic Information Systems, Chemistry, and Accounting. She also spent ten years as a licensed real estate broker. She shares her passion for family history by giving presentations on research, writing, and genealogy to local, regional, and national audiences, helping others to know their ancestors with greater compassion and historical context.