Archive
Happy Interdependence Day
After a couple of hectic days at home we packed up and headed back to Columbia. We got a room at The Spa on Spruce, as the hot tub and backyard garden make it feel more like a vacation.
I did a podcast yesterday morning and had a campaign meeting with a Senate candidate yesterday. It’s exciting to open a second front on the war against authoritarianism with moving to fire a Kansas Senator who gutted Medicaid when he knows how devastating it will be to his constituents.
The podcast was heavy on CoreCivic, the troubled private prison we are working to keep from becoming an ICE detention facility back in Leavenworth. I’ll share the link when it comes out. Earlier in the week a story by the Marshall Project came out. The Guardian ran it so it was nice to get some national/international coverage. https://www.themarshallproject.org/2025/07/01/leavenworth-kansas-immigration-prison-fight
Today it was grocery shopping, hot tubbing, and off to the beach at Finger Lakes. Another family joined our picnic table while we were in the lake so we just made them part of our party. We’re going to catch fireworks tonight. We brought bikes to drive to the edge of traffic and park and ride in.
Tomorrow it’s a quarry lake party and a neighborhood festival. Sunday we make our way home. Things heat up at CoreCivic with the next hearing taking place at 10:00. Follow along for updates. Here’s a flyer on my book reading in CoMo. If you’re in the area you should come.
Democrats and Direct Action
I cut my teeth in political organizing around direct action with a long term focus on building a community of resistance. I found it far more energizing than electoral politics, more immediate, and far more fun.
Speaking truth to power and engaging in active non violence shaped who I was. I also engaged in influence campaigns that worked within the system. As a young field organizer in Utah I helped gin up significant opposition to an inadequate wilderness prevention Bill generating thousands of postcards and turning out hundreds of students at a critical public meeting.
That shifted the Utah delegation and the bill was defeated. The next year a bill was passed that includes an additional 1.2 acres of mostly Red Rock desert permanently protected as wilderness. I thought about that 1.2 million acres a lot and how we freed the weed by petition gathering, voter registration, organizing a GOtV and passing the California Compassionate Use Act.
My support of electoral politics further strengthened as a three term City Council Member in Columbia, Missouri I saw a laundry list of progressive accomplishments and good government wins all through campaigning for votes. As I completed The Practical Guide to Building a Better World, I formed a Political Action Committee to support my national level local organizing.
After the inauguration we all witnessed the unconstitutional and illegal invasion of government systems and employee relations by unaccountable billionaire Elon Musk and his high tech goons. A spontaneous movement on Reddit called 50501 for national protests at state capitals.
I was intrigued but unavailable. I hope as also a little shocked by the general reception by Democrats and other activists not wanting to take part because they didn’t know who was organizing it. Folks who shared information were encouraged not to participate because of a lack of permits and no identified organizers and folks speculates it was a setup.
So most of the folks I know stayed home. But not all. I heard reports from Michigan where the crowd was robust and inspiring and I saw news reports on many other protests.
In spite of being 50 states, 50 protests, 1 day a President’s Day protest was called by the same network. In Leavenworth the local Democrats put out a call and on a frigid day 40 or so concerned citizens came out with signs and flags and it was beautiful.
When I got home I enjoyed seeing protest photos from across the country. We think protests need leadership and organization, and both can be helpful to win concrete victories but they are not necessary. During the Vietnam protest era the largest protests happened after the national leadership splintered and went silent. The protests kept growing.
We live in an era of increased suspicion and less and less trust. The more that we can rebuild our ability to organize together on a common cause the more effective we are going to be. The New American Community is embracing and promoting decentralized grassroots movements and we encourage others to do likewise.
We have to be wise. There are agents of chaos and misinformation that drive divisive activities. There are risks to trusting strangers. There are also risks from not trusting others we do not know. The risks of being isolated and powerless and having our cherished institutions destroyed without an effective public outcry.
We need to be wise and structure for safety. Do your homework, withhold judgement, make sure if you go to an action you have an exit plan and support. But please don’t stay at home out of fear. The next big action is the February 28th economic blackout.
I don’t know who is planning it. I know it makes sense. I know I want to do it. I know it’s safe. Now more than ever we need a mass mobilization to protect our democracy and our way of life. When the call to action is just and proper and good I am acting, whether I know who made the call or not.
New American Community
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New American Community Hosts Ribbon-Cutting, Urging Calm and Unity as High-Stakes Election Nears
Leavenworth, KS — New American Community, a new political organization focused on training and supporting political activists, gathered Tuesday to celebrate its launch, with founder Mike Trapp calling for unity ahead of the election.
Held on October 29th at the Riverfront Community Center and hosted by the Leavenworth-Lansing Chamber of Commerce, the event marked a milestone for New American Community, an organization committed to equipping everyday citizens with the tools and training needed to run effective grassroots political campaigns and community betterment projects.
In his address, Trapp spoke to the critical nature of the upcoming election and the uncertainty surrounding its outcome. “We are a divided nation,” he stated, “and this election will be determined by low-propensity voters. No one can predict which side will activate more of them in the seven swing states.” With polls neck and neck, he cautioned the audience to anticipate a period of waiting that may stretch for days, weeks, or even longer.
Trapp called for the community to prioritize kindness and understanding during this period, regardless of the election’s outcome. “In thinking nationally and acting locally, we take this time to call for calm and kindness. Let’s commit to being kind and listening,” he urged. “After the election, let’s put partisan bickering behind us, rekindling our belief in the good faith of our neighbors.”
The event offered attendees an introduction to New American Community’s mission of fostering local resilience and building community connections. For those looking to get involved in local efforts, New American Community offers resources and a supportive network committed to driving positive change, regardless of national challenges.
For more information or to join the New American Community, please contact:
Mike Trapp
Founder, New American Community
Phone: 573.823.6522
Email: mike@newamericancommunity.org
A Holiday Letter 2023
Today or tomorrow is Epiphany and if I see a Spanish bakery I’ll try to get the special loaf. If you get the Baby Jesus you are supposed to host the midwinter party.
I’m camped at an off road vehicle camp outside of Santa Clara. I spent last night here and it was great. All the off-roaders leaves before dark. Yesterday there was a class or group or something but it was a bunch of 4-5 year olds rising motorbikes and 4 wheelers around the giant parking lot. Pretty adorable.
I found some good hiking today and went on a heritage trail and a visitors center that had displays on the indigenous folks. Big time weavers. I also hiked to a little waterfall and also climbed up into the hills.
For the holiday season which is wrapping up now I often do an annual recap. I’ll do so now even though I’m way behind on my epic road trip narrative. I’ll probably abandon the play by play of campsites and activities.
2023 found me living in Leavenworth in an apartment in the old Jewish Temple and working as the Executive Director for the Alliance, a domestic violence and sexual assault shelter and program. In January I joined the Executive Board of the Leavenworth/Lansing Chamber of Commerce as the Second Vice Chair.
I submitted a corrective action plan for our certification site visit and the Alliance was granted provisional accreditation. We spent most of 2023 improving sexual assault services and staff training which. We had our targeted site visit in the Fall but we had not received a response before I left in November.
In the spring I slipped on my stairs and hyper-extended my knee. I also learned my knee was a mass of degenerative garbage. I was on crutches and missed a few days of work. It was a real low for me. I had gotten back to 280 pounds, what I weighed when I graduated high school but I’m not 17 anymore.
I started losing weight which accelerated when I learned I may have cirrhosis of the liver. It’s actually more common in obesity then alcohol use. I weighed myself in San Diego and I’m down to 239. I can definitely feel the difference.
I continued to go back to Columbia most months for the Columbia Men’s Book Club. We’re chugging along in maybe our 15th year. I also took a trip to Hays, Kansas because of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Egv3IBkBH6Q&pp=ygUaNDkgd2luY2hlc3RlciBoYXlzIGthbnNhcyA%3Dwith with John but 49 Winchester cancelled their show 30 minutes before doors opened.
I went to Harry’s house for Easter and hosted Thanksgiving at John and Flow’s. After Thanksgiving I moved the last of my things to Columbia and cleaned out my apartment. I’d left the Alliance under my former Grants Manager who became the new ED, which made me proud as she is young and off to a great start in her career.
John and Flow and I flew into Maine and went to the Down East, mostly Bar Harbour and Arcadia National Park. It was cool but a lot of traffic and the color was limited.
I left on an Epic Road Trip and have been doing Van Life. I went to Big Bend NP and really enjoyed it. Saw my first javelina and bobcat and a ton of road runners. Great hiking and met Rey who showed me a pictograph and a mortar site by a tank. We heard a mountain lion yowl and found a ton of worked stones.
I also went to Carlsbad Caverns and camped a night with a traveling novelist. I visited Ray, who I met in my epic road trip 2 years ago for Solstice and had a great Yule fire. I also picked up a hitchhiker and took him to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.
New Years found me in San Diego reuniting with Steve my best friend in grad school who I hadn’t seen in 25 years. Great visit and I have almost 2 more months for this leg of the trip as I work on my book. I outlined chapter 5 tonight. Going to turn in now and hike in a new spot tomorrow and plan on staying at a Walmart outside of Fresno tomorrow for the rain.
A Holiday Letter 2023
Today or tomorrow is Epiphany and if I see a Spanish bakery I’ll try to get the special loaf. If you get the Baby Jesus you are supposed to host the midwinter party.
I’m camped at an off road vehicle camp outside of Santa Clara. I spent last night here and it was great. All the off-roaders leaves before dark. Yesterday there was a class or group or something but it was a bunch of 4-5 year olds rising motorbikes and 4 wheelers around the giant parking lot. Pretty adorable.
I found some good hiking today and went on a heritage trail and a visitors center that had displays on the indigenous folks. Big time weavers. I also hiked to a little waterfall and also climbed up into the hills.
For the holiday season which is wrapping up now I often do an annual recap. I’ll do so now even though I’m way behind on my epic road trip narrative. I’ll probably abandon the play by play of campsites and activities.
2023 found me living in Leavenworth in an apartment in the old Jewish Temple and working as the Executive Director for the Alliance, a domestic violence and sexual assault shelter and program. In January I joined the Executive Board of the Leavenworth/Lansing Chamber of Commerce as the Second Vice Chair.
I submitted a corrective action plan for our certification site visit and the Alliance was granted provisional accreditation. We spent most of 2023 improving sexual assault services and staff training which. We had our targeted site visit in the Fall but we had not received a response before I left in November.
In the spring I slipped on my stairs and hyper-extended my knee. I also learned my knee was a mass of degenerative garbage. I was on crutches and missed a few days of work. It was a real low for me. I had gotten back to 280 pounds, what I weighed when I graduated high school but I’m not 17 anymore.
I started losing weight which accelerated when I learned I may have cirrhosis of the liver. It’s actually more common in obesity then alcohol use. I weighed myself in San Diego and I’m down to 239. I can definitely feel the difference.
I continued to go back to Columbia most months for the Columbia Men’s Book Club. We’re chugging along in maybe our 15th year. I also took a trip to Hays, Kansas because of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Egv3IBkBH6Q&pp=ygUaNDkgd2luY2hlc3RlciBoYXlzIGthbnNhcyA%3Dwith with John but 49 Winchester cancelled their show 30 minutes before doors opened.
I went to Harry’s house for Easter and hosted Thanksgiving at John and Flow’s. After Thanksgiving I moved the last of my things to Columbia and cleaned out my apartment. I’d left the Alliance under my former Grants Manager who became the new ED, which made me proud as she is young and off to a great start in her career.
John and Flow and I flew into Maine and went to the Down East, mostly Bar Harbour and Arcadia National Park. It was cool but a lot of traffic and the color was limited.
I left on an Epic Road Trip and have been doing Van Life. I went to Big Bend NP and really enjoyed it. Saw my first javelina and bobcat and a ton of road runners. Great hiking and met Rey who showed me a pictograph and a mortar site by a tank. We heard a mountain lion yowl and found a ton of worked stones.
I also went to Carlsbad Caverns and camped a night with a traveling novelist. I visited Ray, who I met in my epic road trip 2 years ago for Solstice and had a great Yule fire. I also picked up a hitchhiker and took him to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.
New Years found me in San Diego reuniting with Steve my best friend in grad school who I hadn’t seen in 25 years. Great visit and I have almost 2 more months for this leg of the trip as I work on my book. I outlined chapter 5 tonight. Going to turn in now and hike in a new spot tomorrow and plan on staying at a Walmart outside of Fresno tomorrow for the rain.
Meeting Rey (epic road trip 2 #5)
So I’ve fallen behind in my narrative. When I left I had planned on leaving Big Bend because all the sites at Rio Grande Village were reserved and I was overwhelmed by Recreation.Gov to look at other sites. I decided to hit the hot springs on my way out. The panel of pictographs I hadn’t been able to find popped out and the hot springs were hopping a bit.
There was a guy sharing a black bear video from earlier in the week and we struck up a conversation. I’ve been doing Stoic spiritual exercises for a week at this point and Rey was also a week into his spiritual journey so we hit it off more than a bit. He posts his stuff at http://www.us385.com
We ran into each other again and ended up going on a hike and I spent a couple more nights at his campsite at Cottonwood. Rey is a great local guide and he took me to an obscure pictograph site our first day and a settlement site with more mortero holes than I’d ever seen at one place.
While we were at the mortero site we found a sheltered ledge by a water tank that was a perfect spot for a mountain lion. There was some scat and we heard it yowling as we were leaving.
Rey was a great guide and we had some wild coincidences besides both being a week into our wilderness/spiritual journeys. We were both wearing green zipper pants and we had both sewed buttons on them the day before. Rey got me paying attention to my dreams. I’ve been aot more rooted in philosophical inquiry and practice/study and less into mystical experience but being dream aware has been a nice addition to my practice.
Walking back from the mortero site Rey showed me how to spot artifacts and we saw a ton of worked stones and some rocks set up as a base for wickiups.
I also saw some pictographs that had been degraded off of Indian Head Road with some better directions then when I couldn’t find them before. Then I explored the Alpine and Marfa area.
I checked out the Museum of the Big Bend and dis some hiking. After that I went up to Fort Davis, which was the best fort so far of the six I’ve seen. I finished up the area at the Chihuahuan Desert Research Center and cactus museum which is definitely worth seeing.
Epic Road Trip 2 #3 (4 forts in Texas)
Well constant reader, I have made it Great Bend National Park and have been here about 4 days. I made much better time than I planned and the trip has become more and more magical. I am in a campsite in the Cottonwood campground drinking a cup of herbal tea and winding down from the drive in before I turn in. I don’t have a signal so I will work in some photos if I get the chance, if I don’t please excuse the wall of text.
I believe I left off in Oklahoma. Oklahoma has a lack of outdoor recreation that makes it really standout, not only in the West but nationally. The conservation area I camped at probably required a hunting permit. My second night in Oklahoma was in a Walmart parking lot.
The bright spot was the Seminole Museum. They have a number of very cool artifacts and their interpretation tells their story very well. I was somewhat familiar but definitely learned something. They had the longest campaign to force their relocation of any tribe. Basically in 3 waves they were defeated militarily and forced to move over 80 years I believe. A remnant was able to maintain in the swamps and that group ultimately received tribal recognition.
The British encouraged slaves to flee to Florida and they were taken into the Seminole Tribe. I also learned the Seminole were a composite group of remnant tribes decimated by disease that formed the Seminole fairly late in history. A lot of their tribal traditions, like dress, were based on trade goods. Trade cloth was a lot better than buckskins for the Florida heat.
They originally started more northerly in Alabama, Georgia and the panhandle but were pushed deeper into Florida. The museum had cultural artifacts and a lot of contemporary art. I did enjoy driving the back roads through Oklahoma. I found a conservation area to camp in after crossing into Texas.
I got an early start but backtracked back a bit to Tulsa and went to a park and botanical gardens that also had the historical museum. The Japanese maple were in all their Fall glory and it has been fun to turn back time to the leaves changing as I’ve traveled south.
I visited 4 forts in Texas under different arrangements and in different conditions. Fort Richardson is in a State Park and has preserved buildings and some recreational similar to Fort Scott. The state park has more buildings open but less interpretation and archeology than the feds but provided an overall better experience. The Fort
Fort Phantom Hill was ruins, mostly chimneys and some stone foundations. Fort Chadbourn was privately owned and run by a foundation, with like 4 people doing it. It has a little bit of ruins but mostly reconstruction. It also had the best collection of artifacts. Lots of guns including guns from the Little Big Horn.
The Comanche had killed a couple guys on a mail run, it was precipitated by one of the soldiers but it got them both killed. The Comanche were confronted and threatened with arrest so they seized an officers barracks and forted up. A Lieutenant kicked the door in and got killed for his trouble but the Comanche were defeated. You could still see the bullet holes. There was also soldier graffiti writing Tecumseh, Michigan about 20 miles from where I grew up. Warmed my Yankee heart.
I had a nice talk about running a nonprofit with my museum tour guide and met the ranch owner who grew up with the ruins and learned they were important in college and built the museum and led the reconstruction. His workman consulted on the stabilization of the chimneys at Fort Phantom Hill, which did have an existent magazine. Ammunition storage buildings are mad so thick they stand the test of time.
The last fort was Fort Stockton. It’s owned by the city and run by the local historical society. Not much to it. It was a Buffalo Soldier fort. Noticed it’s guardhouse had chains on the wall and it was the first fort without a bakehouse. They fed those fellows leftover hardtack from the Civil War in 1858. The chaining up was reflective of the harshness of Civil War discipline the interpretation said but I wondered if it wasn’t the fact that they had white officers and Black soldiers?
I got my first hotel a week into the trip at Fort Stockton knowing it was the last cheap city before Big Bend. I finished my tea and will take another trip to the pit toilet before calling it a night.
PostScript: I am at a McDonald’s in Alpine Texas enjoying access to a sink and flush toilet, a second cup of coffee, a couple of sausage biscuits (one would have been better) and crappy wifi. I’m going to slow track to Marfa camping at roadside parks unless I find something better. Researching on how to do Guadalupe Mountains National Park with camping full.
Epic Road Trip 2 #2
My free camping app took me to a conservation area in Oklahoma. The mapping function has degraded or I need to download All Trails because it has been consistently unreliable. I was able to take clues from the description and find it in Google Maps. There was a big camp of presumably hunters but they were quiet and across the campground. I had a nice campfire and heated up a can of spaghettios and toasted some marshmallows.
I drove up to the main road to get a signal and routed to a hiking area west and south. On the drive I stopped for gas and looked at attractions again and backtracked to Tulsa to go to Woodruff Park. It’s a rose garden park which December is not it’s best face. They had some other gardens and this great statue of Linaeus.
There was also a historical society with a museum. I walked through the herb society holiday market but it was all peopley and I’m opting out of Christmas this year with solo travel so it had nothing to offer. Hot cider was tempting but not in a Styrofoam cup.
The museum volunteer was nice and they had a room devoted to the Tulsa Race Massacre. Lots of photos and I learned the Black folks were put in internment camps after which I did not know. An Oklahoma task force examining the issue 25 years or so ago recommended reparations but of course they’re still waiting.
I learned Tulsa was founded by Native Americans, Cherokee I believe but it was light on artifacts. There was a big exhibit on Route 66 and I mentioned that some day car culture would be looked at similarly to the Tulsa Race Massacre, also acknowledging I’m on a road trip. I still took up the offer for a photo.
I also checked out the statuary of Native American ballerinas and finished up with a walk through the collection of the trees as I’d heard the holly was impressive. Not a lot of berries. The Japanese Maples were impressive and rolling back to an earlier stage of Fall is a nice benefit of traveling south.
My next destination was the Seminole Museum. I knew a lot of the history but learned a lot more. The Seminole were a collection of tribal remnants ravaged by disease and were in Florida panhandle and Alabama before being pushed south. Great history of resistance and had to be captured in waves to get sent west. Lots of Black folks fleeing slavery had joined up which drew the ire of the US.
The two newest bands were both Black Seminoles. Those sent to Oklahoma were first put on the Creek Reservation and had a tough time of it. Including Black folks they were threatened by slave owning Creeks. They split over the civil war but most backed the South and took a further beating during reconstruction. Others joined the Black regiments of the North.
The museum was cool, lots of artifacts and in depth interpretation as well as a growing collection of modern Native American art. I don’t have enough signal to post pics. I’m currently camped by the Brazos River Dam. I got in just before dark and enjoyed a nice campfire and had the free campground to myself. I’m going to hike the Brazos today and stay another night to get some time out of the van.
My last night in Oklahoma led me to a Love’s Truck Stop. It was a small car lot with lots of loud trucks so I stayed at a nearby Walmart Parking lot. I brought a sleeping mask and had a good night there. I went back to the truck stop for coffee and my morning constitutional.
It was heavy fog and cool so I read until well after sunrise. I took back roads and drove slow until the sun finally burned away the fog. I wish I could upload pics when I stopped at a graveyard. You can see one on my Facebook page. Mike Trapp Columbia MO, look for the personal page and not my professional page which is not really active.
I’m going to do my morning chores and go for a hike so I’ll leave Ft Richardson for my next post. Thanks for reading. Would love to see comments, questions or whatnot.
Epic Road Trip 2 #1
I cleaned out my apartment and dropped off keys and stuff I was donating and dropped off my router at the Spectrum Store in Olathe. I had also packed the van for the trip. I forgot my cooler and cooler food but I don’t normally travel with that and was as much relieved not to have to mess with it as disappointed.
I set out for my first campsite a little over an hour south. Since it was night and raining I took the interstate. The next morning I put the “avoid highways” option on Google Maps so I’ll probably end up on more gravel roads than interstate like my last Epic Road Trip. It was a municipal fishing lake with dispersed camping. I think I was the only one there.
I heated water in my new heated pitcher that runs off the cigarette lighter. It took about 40 minutes but I made some drip coffee. I have some home roasted to get me started. I only slept fair but that will get easier as I’m more tired. I had some leg cramps from the 40 flights of stairs I climbed packing and cleaning out my second floor apartment.
I did a short hike at a Fort Scott municipal park and read about the flood in the 80’s. The big attraction was the fort which is preserved buildings and some recreated. It was really well done with interesting exhibits. One of the better forts I’ve seen and I’ve been to a bunch.
Fort Scott abuts the fort and I had some lunch and walked around downtown.
I also learned Gordon Parks was from Fort Scott. I went to his museum at the local community college. He was a renaissance man as an important photographer, civil rights activist and directed Shaft amongst other things.
I half assed looked for his grave but it was wet and I was tired and I settled for a monument with some quotations on being a Black guy from there that was pretty cool.
I’m tired so I’ll leave it at that for now. I’m hunkered down in a Walmart parking lot a little north of the Texas border. It was cold and drizzly so I made more miles than I planned. I’ll try to get more succinct and share less pics in future posts.
Hoar Frost in the Graveyard
After visiting all the parks here in Leavenworth and the surrounding areas I started working my way through the graveyards. Sunday it was really foggy and I heard reports of ice fog and thought it might be a good day to explore Mt. Carmel Cemetery. It turned out I was right.
Lots of the statuary had hoar frost in what looked like cobwebs.
Even the most whimsical statuary I’ve seen in a graveyard did not escape the hoar frost.
The fog was more of what I expected to see and I got one good shot of it.
It’s a big cemetery and the historic stuff is scattered throughout. They must have had isolated shrines and burial areas back in the day. There are still large parcels that are grassy fields. There are a lot of modern graves with laser pictures, bad poetry and things people are into like sports teams. People leaving grave offerings is touching though.
I also saw my first sex marriage tombstone. It made me feel a little better about modernity when I was thinking history might find us banal and silly. I’ll leave you with this weird Janus Crucifix which had a Jesus on each side in the middle of a turnaround.
Multiconstruct 
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