[Erik P Conard]

most of us self-styled erstwhile historians do not have the funds
to travel and be gadabouts collecting material by personal interviews, sorry to mislead you.
Phone calls are super cheap, cheapest ever, and will open many a
door to fruitful friendships and correspondence.
You can do it, I know you will. Good luck, it'll be fun and you will
leave tracks to inspire future chroniclers.