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Maybe but the big problem is Google does WAY more than just look at traces. They employ sophisticated machine learning techniques to deduce data automatically from images, like automatically reading address bars on buildings.

They are not the only ones doing that. Mapillary is another that uses deep learning to process street-view images and extract important features.

Couldn't there be mobile apps we would run on our phones that relied on Google Maps for navigation but shared our travel experiences to Open Street Map. I wouldn't mind running an app like that for awhile.

You're in luck, there are multiple applications you can run on your phone what will help OpenStreetMap:
StreetComplete - Lets you fill in missing map details for things around you as you walk in the street.
Mapillary - Provides street-view images for OpenStreetMap.
OpenStreetCam - Provides street-view images for OpenStreetMap.

Regarding street-view, Mapillary is the more advanced of the two right now, at least in terms of coverage but also, as far as I can tell, with regards to what they can do with the images. Through deep learning they are now able to recognize street signs, traffic lights, urban furniture, generate 3D building models, etc. And you are allowed to use all this to contribute to OpenStreetMap.

We actually had events happen that killed 40 to 50% of the population, its called a plague. These unrealistic scenarios happened every 500 years or so. Even in our modern society if a plague kills so many that medical infrastructure is overwhelmed you can have a vaccine available but lack the means to distribute it or the quantity necessary to vaccinate most of the population.

That's assuming they even have a vaccine. Ebola has no cure and has a 90%+ kill rate.
Oh, and it's already in 3 countries and is continuing to spread: http://umap.openstreetmap.fr/f...

Ebola's high and very fast kill rate causes it to burn itself out pretty fast.

We actually had events happen that killed 40 to 50% of the population, its called a plague. These unrealistic scenarios happened every 500 years or so. Even in our modern society if a plague kills so many that medical infrastructure is overwhelmed you can have a vaccine available but lack the means to distribute it or the quantity necessary to vaccinate most of the population.

That's assuming they even have a vaccine. Ebola has no cure and has a 90%+ kill rate.
Oh, and it's already in 3 countries and is continuing to spread: http://umap.openstreetmap.fr/f...

OpenStreetMap is not really suited to what he is doing since we are making a 'base map' which is just the underlying features, roads, buildings, etc. The personal notes the OP is looking for can however be added to uMap which is a tool one of the OSM people developed to make maps overlay on top of the map. I am not sure what the public terms of service are though or how long it will be available. It was developed for coordinating information about humanitarian disasters but it would work for that as well. Link is below.

http://umap.openstreetmap.fr/e...

-AndrewBuck

Have you tried ? http://umap.openstreetmap.fr/