Endlessly laborious or futile. It comes from Sisyphus, the Greek mythological figure who was condemned to forever roll a boulder up a hill only for it to fall back down. It applies to getting your weather from groundhogs or getting stuck in Punxsutawney if you're Bill Murray.
In 2011, Derek Low traveled across the USA for only $213. He did it an old-fashioned way: by train:
Low documented his trip in detail with many photos. The voyage took four days. And sure, you might be able to do this in a car in a similar amount of time. But, as Low notes, the train trip gives you a better sense of what America is like:
Traveling by train gives you a glimpse into the soul of America. The experience rewards you with far more stories and experiences and sights than you could ever witness alone in a car, eyes fixed on the road, or on a five-hour flight across the country.
If you want to see tourist America, rent a Cadillac, get on Route 66 and stop off at a few cutesy diners and motels. If you want to see the real America in all its spectacular, crazy, kooky glory, get on the train.
The Dailies has been a shorter train trip once, and it was an experience we never forgot. Low's trip looks even better.
TrainsTripsThis land was made for you and mePhotographyBudget vacationsBrave new worlds