The Joy Trip Project is an ongoing mission to discover and report on the many expressions of modern adventure. From my home base in Madison, WI I produce a blog and podcast series of the same name that regularly provides a variety of different stories on athletes, artists and activists who work to make the world a better place and have a lot of fun doing it. A few times each month I leave to Dairy State to venture out into to world in search of new stories to tell.

On this Joy Trip I’m traveling between the 5Point Film Festival in Cardondale, Colorado and the MountainFilm Festival in Telluride. Both these events are annual gatherings of amazingly creative people who blend art, adventure and storytelling to demonstrate the many remarkable things made possible through human spirit. In these two target rich environments I can share dozens of news films, books, photographs and paintings produced by the most talented adventure media makers in the world.

As 5Point and Mountain Film are a month apart I’m making use of the time on a journey along America’s highways to explore a few of the places that inspire the genre. With stops in Moab, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, Joshua Tree and the Grand Canyon I’m connecting with some of the people whose work make the stories I love to tell possible. And through the power of social media it’s my privilege to share this journey and invite all those aim to be inspired to come along for ride.

Follow the Joy Trip Project online at http://joytripproject.org/category/5point-to-mountainfilm-tour/

Go be joyful!
The Joy Trip Project is made possible with the support sponsors Patagonia, Rayovac and the New Belgium Brewing Company

The latest adventure web series from Forge Motion Pictures explores the depths of the human soul. The crew that delivered last year’s award-winning mountain film Cold now follows the lives of individuals who have discovered the joy and passion that comes from pressing the boundaries of athletic ability against the most primal of the natural elements.

Directed by Skip Armstrong Of Souls & Water premiered its first two of five episodes at the 2012 5Point Film Festival. Each depicting the stories of iconic paddlers the short films illustrate the motivations behind their desire to travel over water, sometimes fast, sometimes frozen but typically white, exposed to swirling currents and crashing waves of emotion.

Now available to view online The Nomad tracks the journey of adventure athlete Erik Boomer. Making his way over deep snow, a vast ocean and the urban streets of North America this wanderer navigates a course of life that can never be measured in mere miles. After 104 days paddling around Ellesmere Island Boomer finds that the distance traveled is rivaled in magnitude only by his personal growth and self-discovery.

“What if we didn’t restrict how far we could go?” he asks in the film. “What if we kept pushing ourselves one step at a time?”

An original concept by Forge Motion’s Anson Fogel the series Of Souls & Water seeks in each edition to ask why we wander. With exquisite cinematography and elegant storytelling Armstrong brings great artistic value to the adventure film genre to offer up at least a few answers. With no shortage of glorious panoramic landscapes and daring plunges off raging waterfalls The Nomad offers thrilling visuals that do not disappoint. But with thoughtful reflection the film provides a profound view of life lessons that can be learned in the seemingly aimless pursuit of adventure.

The Joy Trip Project is made possible with the support sponsors Patagonia, Rayovac and the New Belgium Brewing Company

“We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” ~T.S. Eliot author of “The Wasteland”

This morning I ate cereal on same breakfast table where I used to do my homework. The Joy Trip has brought back to where it all began for me at my mom and dad’s house in South Central Los Angeles. After 27 years very little has changed. And even though my 86-year-old parents required the installation of handrails they also have wireless Internet.

I’ve been on the road traveling and writing my way between the 5Point and Mountainfilm Festivals. And in my exploring through a circumnavigation of the West I’m coming to realize some interesting things about myself. As one of the few African-Americans in the outdoor recreation industry I’ve struggled for years with my identity as an athlete, an artist, an activist and an adventurer. Isolated and alone so often I have felt lost, aimlessly wondering. But a swirl of random events has brought me back to very place where I first began to dream. I seem to have found myself standing firmly at the nexus of my own universe, smack in the middle of my point of origin.

Originally I believed my arrival home was just a happy coincidence. On my way between Yosemite and Joshua Tree National Parks LA was a perfect place to stop, get a new timing belt for the Jetta Joy Ride and do a load of laundry. I just happen to be here during Mother’s Day weekend. And for the first time in almost a decade all four of my brothers and sisters, two of each, and I will be in town at the same time!

As youngest of the five I am perhaps more sensitive to the psycho-social influence of sibling dynamics. Sitting here now it’s as if I’m 12 again. In this place surrounded by family I’ll always be a child, the baby. But with the wisdom of my 45 years and the rest of my life ahead of me I believe that I can move forward and make different choices as if from the very beginning.

I’ve devoted a good portion of my career as a writer to exploring issues of diversity in outdoor recreation. In recent weeks my efforts on that front have increased dramatically as our team of African-Americans climbers begins training for Expedition Denali in 2013. This weekend my interview on this topic with the Tavis Smiley Show is set to air on National Public Radio Stations nation-wide. And across the Internet there seems to be a growing interest in coming to understand some of the of the limitations that prevent people of color from exploring the natural world and engaging in the life affirming benefits of physical activity outdoors. There are a few very interesting conversations currently in progress online that are worth following:

The Climbing Narcissist:

• Issues of race, class and gender in the 2011 Reel Rock Film Tour :http://climbingnarc.com/2012/05/issues-of-race-class-and-gender-in-the-2011-reel-rock-film-tour/

Girls Like Giants:

• Ashima and Obe, should we see race, class, gender on the rock http://girlslikegiants.wordpress.com/2011/10/14/ashima-and-obe-should-we-see-raceclassgender-on-the-rock/#more-766
• An Ideological Mess or: How I Learned to Not Stop Worrying and Still Love Rock Climbing http://girlslikegiants.wordpress.com/2012/05/11/an-ideological-mess-or-how-i-learned-to-not-stop-worrying-and-still-love-rock-climbing/

Million Ancient Bees:

• It’s an Illusion, Michael: Unexpected Vitriol and Privilege in the Climbing Community http://millionancientbees.wordpress.com/2012/05/08/1696/

As I revel in a few moments of clarity here at home I hope to engage a growing audience of seekers to look within themselves and discover some answers of their own. So here are a few questions:

1. What is preventing you from enjoying a life that includes outdoor recreation?
2. Do you think people of color in particular, African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians etc should be encouraged to establish a relationship with the natural world? Tell me why.

These are complex issues but I believe we have come to a point when we can have thoughtful rational discussion. Please share your comments and let’s talk about it. Go Be Joyful!

The Joy Trip Project is made possible with the support sponsors Patagonia, Rayovac and the New Belgium Brewing Company

Climbers Mark and Anders gear up for the Nose on El Capitan

I rolled into Yosemite Valley late in the afternoon on a Monday in May. Three weeks before the Memorial Day Weekend rush the national park seemed almost vacant. Bluebird skies and warm temperatures made for great camping weather. And even though a friend offered me a bed for the night I headed over to Camp 4.

Not far from the park exit Camp 4 is a uniquely Yosemite experience. Made popular through the 60s and 70s this patch of earth is home to the many rock climbers who come to the Valley from around the world to ascend its high granite walls. For just $5 per person each night you can pitch a tent within a short trek to the base of El Capitan. There you can surround yourself with an eclectic mix of people like you who love adventure. And while 5-star luxury accommodations are available at the Ahwahnee Hotel Camp 4 caters to the bargain basement crowd just looking for a place to crash. So if you’re a dirtbag on a budget, here are a few simple suggestions to help maximize your time in the nylon ghetto.

1) Beware the bears: The morning after I arrived the car parked next to the Joy Ride was mauled by at least two bears. Paw prints on the doors looked like those of a mama bear and her cub. Sometime during the night they pried open all the doors and pulled out much of the car’s weather stripping. As long as you keep all the food and any items with an odor you should be safe. Each campsite offers a secure cast iron box for safe food storage. Use it! Unfortunately this mangled vehicle had a plastic container full fruit on back seat. The rest as they say was history. =>; Bear Food Storage

2) Show up early: Camp 4 usually sells out of sites every day during the summer. Frankly I lucked out. The ranger kiosk opens at 8:30 in the morning. But those hoping to camp arrive as early as 6AM! Last summer I was number 45 in the line at 7 in the morning and by the time I paid my dues for the night there were only 5 spots left.

3) Make Friends with strangers: There’s a good chance you’ll share a site with another party of campers. Living in close quarters is much easier when you’re open to sharing. Just saying hi or the gift of a smile goes a long way toward building rapport. Before you know it you’ll be sharing stories around the campfire over beers and a bag of chips.

4) Bring a bike: More of a guideline than a rule having a bicycle in Yosemite is a great way to get around. I drove out with a bike knowing I’d use it every day. Everything is close enough to walk but Curry Village according to the signs is 2.6 miles from Camp 4. And if you’re temped to drive parking, especially at peak season can be a nightmare. The park offers bike rentals for $28 a day. A bit pricy, but it’s an option.

5) Free WiFi: I confess that I enjoy staying connected even when camping. Cell reception in Camp 4 is actually pretty good. But Internet connections on my iPhone are spotty at best. Fortunately Yosemite Lodge at the Falls directly across the highway has free wireless access. That’s not true at other hotspots around the park that usually charge some kind of fee. At this very moment I’m set up at the food court with full connectivity, an outlet to plug-in to and a cup of hot tea.

I’ve made Camp 4 my Yosemite home base for years. Here is where I became friends with world-class climbers like Timmy O’Neill, Cedar Wright and Ron Kauk. It’s not uncommon to meet up with other greats like Alex Honnold, Jimmy Chin, Renan Ozturk and Tommy Caldwell. At its core Camp 4 is an international community where people who share a passion for the outdoors gather to experience the Valley not as tourists but members of a great collective where everyone is welcome.
If you’ve got some tips or suggestions on how to enjoy your time in Yosemite I’d love to hear them! Post your comments here or drop me an email at info@joytripproject.com
Go be Joyful!

The Joy Trip Project is made possible with the support sponsors Patagonia, Rayovac and the New Belgium Brewing Company

Our journey to the highest peak in North America technically began months ago. Over the past several weeks a flurry of emails and text messages across the Internet pulled together a cadre of disassociated adventurers to share a common dream. And over a weekend in May we took the first actual steps toward our goal. In a remote lodge on a ridge above Lake Tahoe our team of African-American climbers met to forge the bonds of friendship in preparation for Expedition Denali.

Typically aspiring climbers who take part in one of the many wonderful courses offered by the National Outdoor Leadership School meet for the first time mere days before heading off to base camp. But a full year in advance of our summit attempt set for 2013 the members of our team gathered to build relationships and set goals for the future.
“We want to assure our best opportunity for success,” said expedition organizer Aparna Rajagopal-Durbin.

As our host for the weekend Aparna graciously offered the hospitality of her family’s vacation home. In her job as director of diversity and inclusion at NOLS Aparna is tasked with making her organization just as welcoming and inviting. And as a team it’s our hope that we can demonstrate to communities around the country that the world of outdoor recreation and environmental conservation are just as open and free to all people willing to explore it.

Though many of us met for the first time we were instantly united in our resolve to begin this incredible journey. We ranged in age from 19 to 56. And our levels of mountaineering experience varied from those who had never climbed before to the first African-American, Sophia Danenberg, to summit Mount Everest. But with the help of NOLS over the next several mouths each will receive the training and experience necessary to qualify for a bid on Denali. And though our initial workout together was limited to a rigorous session of calisthenics we engaged in serious discussions on the meaning of trust, our common goals as a team and the collective purpose our mission.

“It really isn’t about getting to summit,” said Minnesota nature photographer and writer Dudley Edmondson. “It’s about what we do when we get back and tell our stories.”

We were very fortunate to have a film crew from CNN with us through the weekend. Our story will hopefully be shared through the program series “Black In America” with Soledad O’Brian. Whether we are successful in our attempt to climb Denali or not what truly matters is that we have a rare opportunity to share our love and passion for the outdoors. Our stories will help to illustrate the struggle that many Americans, regardless of race, endure in order spend time in nature. And as audiences both online and on television follow along hopefully they will realize as we do that destination, the summit of Denali, is far less important than the journey itself.

Also on the team but not photographed are Cliff Debride, Phil Henderson, James Kagambi, Nina Roberts and Shelton Johnson

The Joy Trip Project is made possible with the support sponsors Patagonia, Rayovac and the New Belgium Brewing Company

I woke up this morning nowhere I expected to be. After a 3-hour joy trip from Carbondale, Colorado I found myself in Moab, Utah. I’d originally planned to camp by the river on the edge of town. Instead I wound up having to pick between sleeping on a cozy couch or way up high in a tree slung with nets. Those are your choices when you crash at the Monkey Den.

The 5Point Film Festival wrapped up the day before and I left Carbondale with a surge of enthusiasm for a life in adventure. Four days of action movies and inspiring stories set me on course toward something wonderful. I suppose what made the event incredibly special was being able to connect with so many talented people with similar goals and aspiration who are out in the world achieving amazing things.

Fresh off his co-production of the series “Wild Love” filmmaker Andy Maser is heading back to Portland to begin a documentary project for National Geographic Television. And Nick Waggoner producer of ski films like Signatures and Solitaire is heading to New York State to start production on a job for the History Channel.

These young people share their adventures in the creation of film and other media to demonstrate how just about anything is possible. And at the 5Point Film Festival we get a collective glimpse into the lives of those who push the boundaries to deliver truly compelling stories. So as I made my way through Moab I just had to hook up with my friend Andy Lewis.

Made famous by his appearance in the 2012 Super Bowl half-time show with Madona, Andy is a professional slackliner. The star of 5Point featured movie Sketchy Andy from Sender Films asked me over to join his crew known as the Monkeys for some Mexican food. BASE jumper and former U.S. Navy F-14 pilot Richard Webb had just flown in a big batch of fresh tamales from New Mexico. Excellent timing! Rising to the occasion I pulled into the City Market and put together the makings for my signature mango salsa. On a cul-de-sac at the end of a residential neighborhood the Monkey Den wasn’t hard to find.

With a bag of groceries and four-pack of Fat Tire tallboys I sidled up the sidewalk to sounds of music and laughter. I knocked on the door and was psyched to see a few old friends. I’d met Gibbon Slacklines pro athletes Emily Sukiennik and Michael Payton a few years back in West Virginia and had no idea they’d relocated to Moab to challenge their skills in the sport of highlining.

The Monkeys put me right to work after a few quick introductions to everyone there. Within minutes I was chopping away making dice of tomatoes, onions, bell peppers and ripe juicy mangos. Add a little cilantro, crushed red pepper, jalapenos and lime juice and we were good to go. We piled their plates with spicy beans, tortilla chips, guacamole and delicious tamales fresh from Albuquerque.
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Out on the deck over cold beers I got acquainted with my new monkey friends. I met Brent Cain an area groundskeeper and single dad who owns the house and offers a stabilizing adult influence. Another permanent resident is the photographer Scott Rogers whose images capture the desert beauty of Moab along with the high altitude antics of his fellow monkeys. And Andy’s girlfriend Hayley Ashburn is an aspiring creative writer who quite literally wrote the book on “Modern Slacklining”.

Strong, agile and brave everyone at the Monkey Den had moved to Moab to climb high cliffs and rig long lengths of webbing between towering spires. A few were training to make the leap from on high to soar above the desert in a wingsuit or paraglider. Like slacklining the sport of highlining involves walking the line of webbing from one point to the other. But With safety harnesses for protection highliners in Moab press their nerves to find balance on that swaying nylon ribbon between 50 and 400 feet in the air.

If highlining sounds dangerous, it is. The margin for error is tiny relative to the devastating consequences should one fall. But with the collective wisdom of experience the Monkey crew keeps one another safe and motivated to send the next mission wherever it may be. I suppose it’s that sense of community and support that makes the defiance of certain death even remotely appealing. The thrill of height and exposure enjoys the added allure of good friends who share the slack life.

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The Joy Trip Project is made possible with the support sponsors Patagonia, Rayovac and the New Belgium Brewing Company

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Overcoming adversity is a common theme among adventure films. To beat the odds and triumph in the face of certain doom is the universal thread that runs like a current through the exciting stories that captivate audiences year after year. And on the second night of programming at the 2012 5Point Film Festival a subtle variation on that theme makes a compelling swift to explore not just the circumstances of adventure but the unfathomable depths of the characters who experience it.

Each of the films presented on Friday demonstrates strength and determination that go well beyond the physical challenges of gravity, altitude, speed and temperature. Instead the stories illustrate the power of individuals to rise above their fears and insecurities to fulfill and in some case exceed their life’s ambition.

Canadian skier Josh Dueck makes a remarkable comeback after a devastating crash leaves him paralyzed in the film The Freedom Chair by Mike Douglas. Finding focus and purpose in the sport he loves Dueck also discovers his own capacity to excel and become a world champion sit-ski racer. The 5Point audience was treated to a first-time view of a new short film that details Dueck’s return freestyle skiing and a high speed acrobatic somersault.

In the second installment of the Wild Love series from Andy Maser, Emily Nuchols and Jenny Nichols we get another look into the complexities of romantic relationships. When artist and climber Renan Ozturk was severely injured in a skiing accident his girlfriend Amee Hinkley was there to provide the love and support he needed to recover. But their partnership is put to the test when Renan returns to climbing and faces a grueling ascent of the 6310 meter Himalayan Meru Shark’s Fin.

      The Summitby Kyler Kelly is an animated short that ponders the strain between partners who disagree. Bound together by a single rope that suddenly breaks two climbers are made to face dire consequences of the decision to go their separate ways.

Even under the ideal circumstances explorers often have to make hard choices. In The Old Breed by Rufus Lusk and Freddie Wilkinson veteran climbers Mark Richey and Steve Swenson face the reality of their advancing years and question the wisdom of taking risks to achieve their goals.

Though typically not a subject at adventure film fests synchronized swimming is the focus of Aquadettes by Drea Copper and Zack Canepari. Elderly ladies in a retirement community challenge the limitations of aging and the onset of debilitating illness. Committed to maintaining their independence these bathing beauties resist complacency with unrestrained resolve.

Not to waste youth on the young filmmakers Skip Armstrong, Thatcher Bean and Anson Fogel document the search for meaning in adventure through the series opener Of Souls & Water: the Nomad. With the long view of a man many years his age kayaker Erik Boomer explores the open ocean, arctic ice and life on the streets to bravely face an uncertain future. In a live presentation with paddling partner Jon Turk Boomer detailed the challenges of completing the first circumnavigation of Canada’s Ellesmere Island by boat and on foot.

And finally Jeremy Collins returns to 5Point in the first of two stage productions featuring Salida dancer and Brick & Mortarmedia producer Jamie Keating accompanied by Kansas City cellist Megan Renee Ross. More Than Mountains is a poem illustrated by an animated video that explores the life one finds in the wild when leaving the city behind. Showing the most artistic side of adventure Collins’ film project brought the night’s theme full circle to show that as our bodies struggle against the elements the human experience is flavored as much by conflicts of the heart and mind.

The Joy Trip Project is made possible with the support sponsors Patagonia, Rayovac and the New Belgium Brewing Company

A film festival of excellent quality is far more than the sum of its movies. The cultural experience that draws audiences to witness a spectacle of fun and adventure is a unique opportunity to exceed the mere goal of entertainment. The fifth annual  5Point Film Festival has built a community where aspiring explorers can watch reality unfold in film through stories that first began with a dream.

Opening night of the four-day event possessed the intimate flavor of a family reunion. This gathering of our tribe brought together in Carbondale, Colorado distant relations who share in common the genetic imperative to explore, to discover, to dream. And in the fellowship of kindred spirits a passionate crowd packed the local recreation center to perform the ancient exchange of myth and legend, parable and fable. Through motion pictures as a community they shared stories of adventure that define the most intricate details of our modern times to celebrate the journey from where we came and forge the path toward where we aim go.

Far from fantasy each of the films in the program painted images of a grand ideal. The precision craftsmanship of Japanese board shapers set the theme from the first few frames of Unicorn Sashimi by Ben Knight and Travis Rummel at Felt Soul Media. Slow motion snowfall in the mountains of Hokkadio followed the trail of backcountry skiers as they plowed through deep powder scored to the soundtrack of traditional Japanese drums. Snow and skateboarder Amy Purdy defies the odds to triumph despite two prosthetic legs in the series by Eliot Rausch Pass The Bucket. Top athletes ponder the question in film of the same title Why by Corey Rich. Ultra mountainbiker Rebecca Rusch, extreme kayaker Dane Jackson and free solo climber Alex Honnold lead us through awe-inspiring landscapes to give us their perspective. And if you’ve never seen the softer side of adventure porn star Timmy O’Neill filmmakers Andy Maser, Emily Nuchols and Jenny Nichols reveal his most passionate motivations in the balance between extreme sport reality and romantic relationships in the world premiere of their new series Wild Love.

At the very heart of 5Point is a commitment to inspiring the next generation to dream of adventure. For the second year festival creator Julie Kennedy announced the recipients of travel grants to 5 area high school students in the Dream Project. Through the coming months Lucien Blakemore, Anabolena Loor Mendoza, Claire Woolcott, Maggie Deveny, and Casey Hynes will visit remote locations around the globe to both explore foreign cultures and work directly to bring support to communities in need.

In a live slide show presentation local Carbondale hero Hayden Kennedy recounted the arch of his career in mountaineering. The son of Julie and Michael Kennedy, publisher of Alpinist Magazine, the young man recently made history with an epic ascent of Cerro Torre with Canadian climber Jason Kruk. There the team pulled down scores of bolts on the long standing “Compressor” route to return the great Patagonian peak back to its natural state and plunge themselves into an international controversy.

After intermission the excitement continued with an amazing film by Stu Thomson. Danny Macaskill: Industrial Revolutions demonstrates the full range of bicycle trick-riding through the rusted bone yard of an abandoned railway ironworks facility in the countryside of Scotland. In the world premiere of this new film Shattered Tyler Stableford explores the apprehension of world class mountaineer Steve House who questions what remains after reaching the summit. Tandem companion cyclist Dominic Gill rides through the Arab Spring and a scorching hot desert to offer a personal look into the rise of democracy as witnessed by perfect strangers who share the adventure in the latest installment of Take A Seat Egypt. And finally a former pro-climber finds redemption and reward by coaching a nine-old prodigy to become a champion in Obe & Ashima by Josh Lowell and Sender Films.

Spanning three hours into the night the 5Point Film Festival is a journey into the world of the extraordinary, but not the impossible. Perhaps the most compelling feature of each film is the clear understanding that these stories are indeed real and illustrate the vision of people who pulled from their passion an intangible idea, a dream to express for themselves a truly unique experience. And as they watch the audience at 5Point is compelled to believe that perhaps their dreams might also come true.

The Joy Trip Project is made possible with the support sponsors Patagonia, Rayovac and the New Belgium Brewing Company

Karin Hayes & Vicky Bruce

Despite all indications to the contrary, a new film wants you to disregard a common misconception. “We’re Not Broke” by Vicky Bruce and Hayes explores the arcane and all too confusing world of multi-national tax regulations to reveal a surprising fact. The most profitable corporations in the United States contribute almost nothing to the Internal Revenue Service. And although popular rhetoric suggests that we’ve taxed enough already Bruce and Hayes demonstrate that many of us don’t pay nearly enough.

Typically one to stay free of politics I want to share this movie on the Joy Trip Project because many of the issues we discuss here are directly impacted by the contributions of tax-paying citizens. The wild and scenic places we aim to protect could loose funding due budget shortfalls. So it’s important that we become aware of any issues that put our community resources at risk.

The filmmakers suggest that the socio-economic inequities at the heart of the Occupy Wall Street movement find their roots in the strategic manipulation of the U.S. tax law by multi-national corporations. Tasked to find the story behind offshore tax havens Bruce and Hayes were surprised to discover that wealthy individuals weren’t the only ones stashing cash in Cayman Island bank accounts.

“We thought we would really scoop this story and name the two or three corporations with offshore money, but it turns out to be all of them,” Bruce said in an interview. “Verizon, Google, Apple, all of them.”

In order to minimize liability major corporations divert their profits to foreign nations with more favorable income tax requirements. A small office or even just a post office box can be set up in the Bahamas or Ireland to avoid collection by the IRS. It’s estimated, as the film reports, that 1.4 trillion U.S. dollars are parked offshore out of reach of the federal government.

“To me it was such a slap in the face because here we are, the economy’s sinking, we’re firing teachers and I’m paying $150 a month to AT&T,” Bruce said. “I’m filling up with gas at Exxon. Everything in my life is controlled by these corporations who aren’t even contributing back to society.”

Money that would otherwise help to maintain the infrastructure of the U.S. economy goes untaxed. With a variety of different laws and regulations that favor big business, corporations typically avoid the same fiscal obligations that hit small business owners to the tune of 35 percent.

“Tech companies, the drug companies and many other multi-national corporations are able to legally do this, legally siphon money out of our revenue and then put it in another jurisdiction,” Hayes said. “But not only that, they’re using their lobbyists to go directly to Congress members to basically insert the laws and loopholes that they want into the tax code.”

One of the major downsides to our representative democracy is all that corporate money that gets pumped into politics. The high cost of getting elected is paid for in part by businesses under federal regulation. In return for big campaign contributions legislators in the Congress and Senate tend to enact laws that help to boost corporate profits.

In 2004 the “Jobs Creation Act”, as depicted in the film, made possible a repatriation tax holiday that would allow companies to bring offshore funds back into the U.S. Paying only 5 percent these corporations brought $300 million back into the economy,“ essentially tax free, with the promise to create jobs,” Bruce said. “But how multi-national corporations promise something to Congress has nothing to do with anything in writing. They came back with the money, bought shares of their own stock and drove up the prices and made the CEOs richer.”

Many of these companies actually laid off thousands of employees and within four years we found ourselves in the biggest economic meltdown since the great depression. But the film is clear to point out that this is not a partisan political issue. Democrats as well as Republicans are complicit in this convoluted state of affairs.

“Obama has Jeffery Immelt of GE (General Electric) on his jobs creation committee,” Bruce said. “GE has outsourced 30,000 jobs since Jeffery Immelt been the boss. It’s completely prevalent across the board. We have a government that is bought and paid for by multi-national corporations.”

“We’re Not Broke” is a documentary meant to inform the general public of what’s happening in the halls of power. In tough economic times it’s a story that touches the lives of everyone in our nation and no matter what your political persuasion might be equity in our tax system is vital to our long term economic viability. With such a complex tax code the average citizen can only become lost and confused. The filmmakers hope to offer a little clarity and prompt people to take action.

“Right now we may not have the financial power that some of these corporation have but we do have the numbers of people,” Hayes said. “People have to take back democracy.”

www.werenotbrokemovie.com

The Joy Trip Project is made possible with the support sponsors Patagonia, Rayovac and the New Belgium Brewing Company

I just pulled over for a food break and an email check. Google maps tells me I’m 155 miles into the first leg of this westward road trip to the 5Point Film Festival and beyond. Culver’s restaurants are a good alternative to your typical fast food, just as much fat, maybe more, but everything is fresh. The “Butter Burger” will do you in and if like frozen custard this is definitely the place. Free Wi-Fi makes this a good hot spot for wireless.

I’m trying out the Road Tripper App for iPad & iPhone from ZurApps Research Inc.  So far I have mix opinions. The features seem to work really well on the free version but as you can guess the ads on the bottom are super annoying. You can map a set of maps to plot out your trip to make frequent stops and track your miles in between. Nice!

But when I go to buy the full version, a bargain at $1.99 I get one of those circular error messages:” You must purchase the app that this item is before you can purchase the item.”

What the hell does that mean? It seems like a cool little app but I may never know how cool. Curious to know if there’s a better one out there. Anyone have a suggestion? Please let me know.

Heading to Lincoln, Nebraska tonight.

The Joy Trip Project is made possible with the support sponsors Patagonia, Rayovac and the New Belgium Brewing Company