Leaving from the Ghana Market, Brook & Claire open the clue and find out they have to travel to Jamestown and find the Akotoku Boxing Academy for their next clue. The clue doesn’t say “boxing” but just “Akotoku Academy.” Sounds like our teams may be punching each other out!!! The clue is a Road Block: “You’ve got a rocky road ahead.” One team member must properly wrap their hands, then use the punching bag for 60 seconds and jump rope for 60 seconds. Claire says “If she has to get in the ring with one of those guys I’m afraid for the other guys.” Chad & Stephanie show up second and Stephanie tells Chad “I want you to box.” (Is she pissed at him and hopes someone knocks him out?) Katie & Rachel show up right after and Katie runs off to do the task. She and Chad try to follow the hand-wrapper (who isn’t doing it slowly or helping them at all). By this time, Brook has blasted through the challenge (she says they train at a boxing facility) and they’re off to find a Supply Depot in the Dodowa District for their next clue.
Jill & Thomas’ taxi driver has to stop for directions, and Connor & Jonathan are singing to their cabbie to “please drive faster” and “we love Sampson (the cabbie).” I imagine that would help, their singing is very good and it makes a tense situation a bit lighter - and the locals probably get a kick out of it. Nick & Vicki tell us that they are going to keep communicating because that’s the key to a good Race (sounds like they’ll be having communication problems later).
Chad and Katie are jumping rope, and Chad starts showing off and trips on his rope and has to start over, leaving Katie to get ahead of him. Chad tells us, though, that “she didn’t look as good as me doing it.” Kevin and Connor will do the boxing challenge, as will Thomas. Connor flies through the challenge and Kevin is slower because he can’t wrap his hands correctly. Mallory & Gary show up and Gary will do the challenge, as will Vicki. Where are our doctors? Nat & Kat are in the cab, after giving themselves the kiss of death by saying “a good cab driver can make up time and a bad cab driver can make you lose the Race.” They’re lost. They see Chad & Stephanie and Katie & Rachel behind them, and stop the cab to block them from going anywhere so they can ask where the boxing academy is. The teams tell them it’s behind them just to get moving again, and Nat & Kat tell their cabbie to turn around, but he refuses, saying “this way.” Again, the cabbie has to stop and ask directions. Mallory & Gary get ahead of Jill & Thomas and so do Nick & Vicki.
Brook & Claire’s cab gets held up by some yaks crossing the road and Connor & Jonathan urge their driver to pass them up on the road, getting to the supply depot first. The clue tells them to load up a wheelbarrow with supplies and take it to the Asebi D/A Primary School and deliver them to the foreman. If they deliver all the correct supplies listed on the clue, they’ll get their next clue. They have a ways to go down a pothole-filled road and Jonathan complains about the heat, but it seems they do the task quickly. The clue says “It’s time for a pop quiz.” Phil tells us it may be a challenge for the teams to figure out exactly where they are. They’ll have to go to a classroom and figure out African Geography. Connor makes the first guess on where Ghana is, and is wrong - and the kids laugh at him.
Brook & Claire read the clue: “Choose a pair of wheelbarrows and load them with construction supplies.” So what do they do? Grab ONE wheelbarrow and supplies. Back in class, after about 7 incorrect guesses, Connor finally gets Ghana right and gets their next clue. They tell the kids “Princeton is a good school, honest. There’s an African studies major.” Their clue is a Detour: Bicycle Parts or Language Arts. For Bicycle Parts, they must use a stick to roll a bicycle rim around the bumpy terrain down a soccer field and back without letting it fall. In Language Arts, teams choose a proverb with eight highlighted phrases. Each phrase has a symbol in a native visual alphabet. They must go to a large wall with symbols and find the proper symbols in the proper order to get their next clue. Connor & Jonathan will try Language Arts.
Brooke & Claire get to the foreman and find out they have to get two wheelbarrows - and they have to take all the stuff back and get the other one. Katie & Rachel get to the supply pile and argue about the wheelbarrows, with Katie reading the clue saying “choose a pair of wheelbarrows” and watching Michael & Kevin take off with one. “They only have one. Well, they’re idiots.” Brook & Claire are on their way back and don’t tell Michael & Kevin that they should have two wheelbarrows, just answering “yes” when asked if they forgot something.
And we see that Nat & Kat have definitely cursed themselves - their cab with a different driver is now overheating. He fiddles with the engine and they take off again.
As the teams near the Supply Depot, they see the teams already there walking with their wheelbarrows. Chad jokes “run ‘em over” but quickly tells the cabbie he’s just kidding. (Not really. But being the cause of a run-over-by-cab death on the Amazing Race would NOT be pretty). Michael & Kevin get to the foreman and find out the girls didn’t tell them what was wrong, and they too have to go back. Katie & Rachel missed the trowels, and have to go back to get them.
Connor & Jonathan are at the symbol wall and find their symbols in consecutive order. The student gives them their clue, which tells them to go to the Pit Stop which is the home of Awusa Ntso on a rural farm. Connor & Jonathan get to the Mat and are ecstatic to be first, and finding out that they won $5,000 each.
Brook & Claire get their clue from the foreman and go to the school, where Brook says we in America have beautiful schools, whereas the Ghana children just have a shack. Nick & Vicki get to the foreman and find out they brought two bags of cement instead of one. Nick tells Vicki “It’s fifth-grade reading.” He’s ticked. Mallory & Gary are correct and head off to the schoolhouse. On the way back, Nick is blasting Vicki, telling her she has no common sense. (That’s communicating, all right!) He says he’s pissed and he won’t get over it “until we see Phil and he tells us we’re not last.” Mallory tells us that seeing these kids makes her know “how good we have it.” Gary gets Ghana correct on the first try, and they decide to try Bicycle Parts. Mallory is having major problems getting her bicycle rim to move and Gary gets across the field right away. She complains that it’s hot and she’s watching the kids just run like it’s nothing. Another one, Mallory, asking Jesus for help on the Race (much more important than world hunger or war, of course!)
At the classes, Chad & Stephanie, Brook & Claire, Katie & Rachel and Jill & Thomas all get Ghana on the map correct on their first try. (Lucky those Princeton boys were far enough ahead, huh?) All four teams decide to try Language Arts. Brook & Claire see the eight highlighted phrases and also see eight schoolchildren playing, and decide to draw a circle around the kids - and all the other teams do it too. The kids aren't paying attention to the teams and Brook & Claire see the symbol wall and realize the kids have nothing to do with the paper. Jill & Thomas as checking the kids’ textbooks for the decoder key, walking right by the key map on the wall.
Kevin & Michael get Ghana correct on the first try and take off to do Language Arts. We see Gary finish his turn with the bicycle rim and Katie & Rachel show up to try it. Chad & Stephanie are frustrated and decide to switch tasks. Nick & Vicki tell us “we’re the dumbest people on earth” because the African map is full of country names - except for Ghana, which they can’t place correctly. Nat gets it on the first try.
Mallory & Gary get to the Mat in second place, and Gary is happy that “nothing broke down today.” Katie & Rachel, Nick & Vicki, and Chad & Stephanie are watching the kids to get the gist of the bicycle rims. Chad says that he loves kids - “everywhere you go in the world, children are amazing. They see the world in such an honest way, that nothing is bad out there.” He zips through the challenge without a problem, while Nick & Vicki are communicating - Nick by throwing the bicycle rim, complaining “This is so stupid” and telling Vicki to shut up. His tolerance level is a bit short today! Stephanie gets her two passes done, and they’re off to the Pit Stop, where they meet Phil in third place. Katie gets her two passes done, and Nick manages to get to one side of the field as Brook & Claire walk by the decoder map to switch tasks. Nat & Kat give up at the symbol wall and switch also. Katie & Rachel finish and get to Phil in fourth place. Nick is done, and Vicki is having major problems with her asthma between the heat and the running and the frustration. Nick then decided to calm down to help her out.
Back at the wall, Thomas & Jill both walk past the decoder key and go to the Bicycle Parts, as do Michael & Kevin. Funny, but now that Nick is being supportive and encouraging, Vicki manages to get through the challenge. He says later that he feels crappy for treating her that way - okay, Nick, brownie points, but don’t do it again! They get to the Mat in fifth place, with Brook & Clair right behind, and Phil tells them that tomorrow they will be going back to the school with the other teams to do some remodeling and give back to the community.
Nat & Kat finish ahead of Michael & Kevin, because Michael is out of breath and doesn’t think he can make it. Kevin is a good kid, telling his dad that even if it takes 30 minutes, he has to try to finish it. Michael is panting and saying he can’t go back. He’s having trouble breathing and getting dizzy from the heat and medics had to be called in. Michael is crying, saying “I didn’t do it” and apologizing, but Kevin tells him it’s okay. As Jill & Thomas get to the Mat, Michael decides that he’s going to show his son that they are a team and he’s going to finish what he started. In the meantime, we see Nat & Kat getting lost looking for the Pit Stop - I guess the editors are trying to make it look like a race to the Mat but I don’t see Michael & Kevin beating them...or will they? As they leave the task, Kevin asks “are you ready, dad? And he says “I’m ready to be eliminated.” There’s the dramatic music, and Nat & Kat make it ahead of Michael & Kevin. Phil tells them they’re the last team to arrive - but he doesn’t say they’re eliminated. Phil tells them they’re still in the Race because it’s a non-elimination Leg. They will have to do a Speed Bump in the next Leg, but they’re still racing!
So here’s the order of finish:
1 - Connor & Jonathan
2 - Mallory & Gary
3 - Chad & Stephanie
4 - Katie & Rachel
5 - Nick & Vicki
6 - Brook & Claire
7 - Jill & Thomas
8 - Nat & Kat
9 - Michael & Kevin (non-elimination leg)
We've now had a different team finish first for every Leg of the Race. Will any of them double up? Who's the next first-place team? Can Michael & Kevin get over the Speed Bump and stay in the Race? Find out next week!!!
Monday, October 11, 2010
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Ghana Makes Some Interesting Coffins!
The Pit Stop on the last Leg of the Race was in Eastnor Castle in the English countryside, a beautiful place that leaves Andie & Jenna to say they felt like princesses. Jill & Thomas and their Express Pass get to leave first, and they open their clue to find they have to fly to Accra, Ghana and go to Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, which is a monument to the “Father of Ghananian independence.” Nat & Kat leave next, telling us that if there were two boats in the ocean, Kat would be the slow and steady ocean liner and Nat would be the dinghy bouncing alongside. Connor & Jonathan open their clue right before Brook & Claire and Rachel & Katie and decide to wait for them to pool their resources. They decide to ask someone and Brook tells a tractor driver she’ll give him a big sloppy kiss if the writes down the directions to the airport - and then just gives him a peck on the cheek. Cheater!
Once at the airport, the teams are all on the same flight to Ghana. There’s a mad dash to get a taxi outside of the airport, and the teams find out that their drivers have no care for anyone on the roads - including pedestrians and other vehicles, almost hitting them. At red lights, the cabs are inundated with people begging for money and Andie can’t resist the kid’s face and gives him a coin. She says “that’s somebody’s son” and Jenna hopes it will give them good Karma.
The clue tells the teams to go to Makola Market and find the clue box across from the entrance. It’s packed with people and finding the main entrance isn’t an easy task. The clue is a Roadblock: “Who thinks they can handle some shady dealings?” Since it is so sunny, sunglasses are a hot item and one team member has to sell enough sunglasses to make 15 Cedi (Ghana money), and they’re not allowed to sell the glasses for less than 3 Cedi. Brook is ecstatic since this is right up her alley. Chad tried flirting with the women and seemed to make good headway. Brook told a customer that “you look like a gangster!” Mallory & Gary are still in their cab as the other teams get to the market, and their cab dies but they seem to get another one pretty quickly. Nick is having big problems and Brook is selling away, offering cheek kisses with her sales. Jill and Nick seem to have a lot of lookers but no buyers. Of course, Brook gets done first and the clue tells them to go to the Peace Motor Spare Parts store in the June 4th area for their next clue. Connor’s tactic is to get on his knees but it seems to work, and they leave right behind Michael & Kevin. Jill and Kat are getting nowhere but frustrated.
At the Motor Parts store, the clue is a Detour: Tune In or Check Out. For Tune In, teams have to go to an electrical supply store and pick up television antenna system. They must then find a marked house and install the antenna to the owners’ specifications. If the house gets TV reception, they get their next clue. For Check Out, they have to go to a woodworking shop that makes unique coffins (lions, cameras and soda bottles, to name a couple). They choose a coffin and then must transport it through the back streets to the showroom.
Brook & Clair decide to install an antenna and it’s ridiculous to watch - and listen to, because Brook NEVER shuts up. The home is painted a bright green inside (maybe there was a special on the color at the Ghana Home Depot?) Michael & Kevin make it to the parts store but for some reason can’t see the clue box right in front of it. Connor & Jonathan’s cabbie doesn’t know where the June 4th area is and Chad & Stephanie get ahead of them. Chad is “good with electronics” so they decide to Tune In. Michael & Kevin see them getting their equipment for the task and ask where the clue box is. Rachel & Katie decide to Check Out and load a piano coffin to deliver onto a wheeled cart.
Back at the market, Jenna does a great job and gets more than 3 Cedi per pair so she doesn’t take long. Mallory freaks out when one guy tells her he’s going to buy the whole board’s worth of glasses and makes her count each one. There were 200 pair but he just takes one in the end but pays her 15 Cedi for them. Kat is still having major problems selling. Jill feels bad about selling glasses that are scratched to someone, and later Thomas tells her “why do you care? I hope you’re not going to be too nice to people on this Race.” Nick is on his last pair and a woman tells him she wants them for free and starts walking away, with Nick saying “I think I just got jacked for some sunglasses.” She actually comes back and pays him and off he and Vicki go, leaving Nat & Kat alone in the market. Kat says she’s not going to quit her day job to become a Ghanian sunglass salesman. Rachel & Katie are weaving through traffic with their piano coffin.
Despite her constant yapping, Brook manages to tweak the antenna to make the TV come in clear (although I think the homeowner accepted the job just to get his peace and quiet back.) Their clue tells them to go to the next Pit Stop, the Kaneshie Market, one of the largest in all of west Africa. They must get through the crowds and vendors to a bridge, where Phil and the Mat will be waiting. Rachel & Katie breeze through their delivery and dash off to the Pit Stop in second place. Chad & Stephanie are in a blue-walled house and turn the TV on to nothing but snow, and Chad is sounding surprised when the owner says “no good.” Michael turns out to be adept at antenna installing and he and Kevin leave ahead of Chad & Stephanie. Jill & Thomas decide to move the coffins also and grab the camera coffin. Brook & Claire get to the market just before Rachel & Katie and it’s a mad dash to find Phil and the poor woman standing next to him with a huge basket of fish balanced on her head. Brook & Claire are team one and win a trip to Hawaii.
Finding the antenna installation too rough, Connor & Jonathan decide to switch tasks and move a coffin. We see Nat & Kat and Gary & Mallory stopping for directions and Andie & Jenna do the same. They all find out they’ve gone too far and have to turn around. Jenna looks absolutely pissed as she watches the cab driver go for directions.
Connor & Jonathan grab a fish coffin and Nat & Cat grab a lobster, tying a surgical knot to keep it on the cart. Connor & Jonathan are bashing the heck out of their fish coffin on other coffins, cars, and whatever they get close to. The remaining teams are stuck in a major traffic jam and Nat & Kat manage to convince their driver to mash his way through the lanes of cars and pull ahead of everyone. Jonathan & Connor's cabbie follows them, and Jonathan says “these taxi drivers are nuts. We’re not complaining, as long as we’re not dying.” It’s scary enough watching, I can imagine what it looks like from the passenger’s perspective! Connor says he’s proud he hasn’t soiled himself (I imagine the cabbie is too). When they get to the market, Connor & Jonathan beat the doctors Nat & Kat to the Mat.
Nick & Vicki get to Phil and it’s a race to the end for Gary & Mallory, who are paranoid that they’re last. Mallory says they’re going to have a heart attack and die on the Mat - “Has that happened before?” Phil lets them sweat a little and tells them they’re in 9th place and still in the Race. Andie & Jenna make it to the mat last and are eliminated. They interview that they’re happy to finally know each other. Andie says her gift to Jenna was giving her to a good family who made her the person she is today, and wished she could have done that herself. (This is what adoption is all about and how it’s supposed to be!)
Here is the order of finish:
1 - Brook & Claire
2 - Rachel & Katie
3 - Michael & Kevin
4 - Chad & Stephanie
5 - Jill & Thomas
6 - Connor & Jonathan
7 - Nat & Kat
8 - Nick & Vicki
9 - Gary & Mallory
10 - Andie & Jenna
Next week, they’re still in Africa and it seems Nick shows his nasty side, and Michael shows his age. Who will be the next team to go home? Do Brook & Claire make you think an all-female team has a shot to win this? Or are you hoping they don’t, because they’ll have to add another hour to the finale just for Brook’s yakking?
Once at the airport, the teams are all on the same flight to Ghana. There’s a mad dash to get a taxi outside of the airport, and the teams find out that their drivers have no care for anyone on the roads - including pedestrians and other vehicles, almost hitting them. At red lights, the cabs are inundated with people begging for money and Andie can’t resist the kid’s face and gives him a coin. She says “that’s somebody’s son” and Jenna hopes it will give them good Karma.
The clue tells the teams to go to Makola Market and find the clue box across from the entrance. It’s packed with people and finding the main entrance isn’t an easy task. The clue is a Roadblock: “Who thinks they can handle some shady dealings?” Since it is so sunny, sunglasses are a hot item and one team member has to sell enough sunglasses to make 15 Cedi (Ghana money), and they’re not allowed to sell the glasses for less than 3 Cedi. Brook is ecstatic since this is right up her alley. Chad tried flirting with the women and seemed to make good headway. Brook told a customer that “you look like a gangster!” Mallory & Gary are still in their cab as the other teams get to the market, and their cab dies but they seem to get another one pretty quickly. Nick is having big problems and Brook is selling away, offering cheek kisses with her sales. Jill and Nick seem to have a lot of lookers but no buyers. Of course, Brook gets done first and the clue tells them to go to the Peace Motor Spare Parts store in the June 4th area for their next clue. Connor’s tactic is to get on his knees but it seems to work, and they leave right behind Michael & Kevin. Jill and Kat are getting nowhere but frustrated.
At the Motor Parts store, the clue is a Detour: Tune In or Check Out. For Tune In, teams have to go to an electrical supply store and pick up television antenna system. They must then find a marked house and install the antenna to the owners’ specifications. If the house gets TV reception, they get their next clue. For Check Out, they have to go to a woodworking shop that makes unique coffins (lions, cameras and soda bottles, to name a couple). They choose a coffin and then must transport it through the back streets to the showroom.
Brook & Clair decide to install an antenna and it’s ridiculous to watch - and listen to, because Brook NEVER shuts up. The home is painted a bright green inside (maybe there was a special on the color at the Ghana Home Depot?) Michael & Kevin make it to the parts store but for some reason can’t see the clue box right in front of it. Connor & Jonathan’s cabbie doesn’t know where the June 4th area is and Chad & Stephanie get ahead of them. Chad is “good with electronics” so they decide to Tune In. Michael & Kevin see them getting their equipment for the task and ask where the clue box is. Rachel & Katie decide to Check Out and load a piano coffin to deliver onto a wheeled cart.
Back at the market, Jenna does a great job and gets more than 3 Cedi per pair so she doesn’t take long. Mallory freaks out when one guy tells her he’s going to buy the whole board’s worth of glasses and makes her count each one. There were 200 pair but he just takes one in the end but pays her 15 Cedi for them. Kat is still having major problems selling. Jill feels bad about selling glasses that are scratched to someone, and later Thomas tells her “why do you care? I hope you’re not going to be too nice to people on this Race.” Nick is on his last pair and a woman tells him she wants them for free and starts walking away, with Nick saying “I think I just got jacked for some sunglasses.” She actually comes back and pays him and off he and Vicki go, leaving Nat & Kat alone in the market. Kat says she’s not going to quit her day job to become a Ghanian sunglass salesman. Rachel & Katie are weaving through traffic with their piano coffin.
Despite her constant yapping, Brook manages to tweak the antenna to make the TV come in clear (although I think the homeowner accepted the job just to get his peace and quiet back.) Their clue tells them to go to the next Pit Stop, the Kaneshie Market, one of the largest in all of west Africa. They must get through the crowds and vendors to a bridge, where Phil and the Mat will be waiting. Rachel & Katie breeze through their delivery and dash off to the Pit Stop in second place. Chad & Stephanie are in a blue-walled house and turn the TV on to nothing but snow, and Chad is sounding surprised when the owner says “no good.” Michael turns out to be adept at antenna installing and he and Kevin leave ahead of Chad & Stephanie. Jill & Thomas decide to move the coffins also and grab the camera coffin. Brook & Claire get to the market just before Rachel & Katie and it’s a mad dash to find Phil and the poor woman standing next to him with a huge basket of fish balanced on her head. Brook & Claire are team one and win a trip to Hawaii.
Finding the antenna installation too rough, Connor & Jonathan decide to switch tasks and move a coffin. We see Nat & Kat and Gary & Mallory stopping for directions and Andie & Jenna do the same. They all find out they’ve gone too far and have to turn around. Jenna looks absolutely pissed as she watches the cab driver go for directions.
Connor & Jonathan grab a fish coffin and Nat & Cat grab a lobster, tying a surgical knot to keep it on the cart. Connor & Jonathan are bashing the heck out of their fish coffin on other coffins, cars, and whatever they get close to. The remaining teams are stuck in a major traffic jam and Nat & Kat manage to convince their driver to mash his way through the lanes of cars and pull ahead of everyone. Jonathan & Connor's cabbie follows them, and Jonathan says “these taxi drivers are nuts. We’re not complaining, as long as we’re not dying.” It’s scary enough watching, I can imagine what it looks like from the passenger’s perspective! Connor says he’s proud he hasn’t soiled himself (I imagine the cabbie is too). When they get to the market, Connor & Jonathan beat the doctors Nat & Kat to the Mat.
Nick & Vicki get to Phil and it’s a race to the end for Gary & Mallory, who are paranoid that they’re last. Mallory says they’re going to have a heart attack and die on the Mat - “Has that happened before?” Phil lets them sweat a little and tells them they’re in 9th place and still in the Race. Andie & Jenna make it to the mat last and are eliminated. They interview that they’re happy to finally know each other. Andie says her gift to Jenna was giving her to a good family who made her the person she is today, and wished she could have done that herself. (This is what adoption is all about and how it’s supposed to be!)
Here is the order of finish:
1 - Brook & Claire
2 - Rachel & Katie
3 - Michael & Kevin
4 - Chad & Stephanie
5 - Jill & Thomas
6 - Connor & Jonathan
7 - Nat & Kat
8 - Nick & Vicki
9 - Gary & Mallory
10 - Andie & Jenna
Next week, they’re still in Africa and it seems Nick shows his nasty side, and Michael shows his age. Who will be the next team to go home? Do Brook & Claire make you think an all-female team has a shot to win this? Or are you hoping they don’t, because they’ll have to add another hour to the finale just for Brook’s yakking?
Sunday, September 26, 2010
The Amazing Race begins!
The Amazing Race begins in Glouster, Massachusetts - on the East Coast for the first time! Lobster boats are taking all the teams to the starting line, and we get to meet them:
Brook & Claire tell us they are great communicators and can manipulate people to get their way. Chad & Stephanie just met eight months ago and already bought a house together. Chad says he is going to propose to Stephanie on the Race. Katie & Rachel want us to know they are smart, tough, athletic. But when the time comes, “We’re gonna be some bitches.” Connor & Jonathan, the a capella singers from Princeton, say they’ll sing to make other teams like them. They offer that tenors are tough guys and manly. (Okay.) Nat & Kat as doctors, they’re used to being stressed and sleep deprived so they figure they’ll have a leg up there. Michael & Kevin say they have conflicting cultures because Dad is an immigrant and Kevin is more Americanized. Nick & Vicki are full of tattoos but say those are deceiving because they’re very athletic. Ron & Tony met while doing “The Wiz” and are best friends, and it’s Tony’s dream to run the Race. Jill & Thomas tell us Thomas is outspoken and competitive - he’s gonna be a bulldozer and there might be some good arguments with these two. Mallory & Gary tell us that hard work and being a good person can get you anywhere. Gary says “Don’t let the pot belly and gray hair fool you.” Jenna & Andie are meeting for the third time and want to feel fulfilled after the Race.
Phil welcomes the teams and tells them there is a new element in this Race. The first team to check in on the first Leg gets a prize - an Express Pass they can use any time during a challenge they don’t want to complete. The Pass will allow them to skip the task, get the clue and move on. Phil also tells them that even though two flights are waiting, first flight has room for only three teams and will land 30 minutes earlier.
So now we begin. Phil? “The world is waiting for you. Good luck...Travel safe...Go!”
They’ll be flying to London & going to Stonehenge to find the next clue. There are Mini Coopers (at least I think they are, the cars might be Smart cars. Anyway, they’re really small). The cars must have cameras in the dashboards, because there’s no room for camera guys in them for sure! There’s also no air conditioning, because all the teams are sweating bullets as they drive.
Ron & Tony tell us they can navigate well. (Hmmm, does this mean they’re gonna get lost big time?) Connor & Jonathan find out they’re on the wrong side of the city and Connor laughs “I hope we get out of America.” Ron & Tony get to the airport first. Rachel & Katie know they’re in fourth behind the best friends, Chad & Stephanie and Jill & Thomas but decide to try to go to American to get on the first flight anyway. Gary & Mallory and Brooke & Claire jump on a shuttle bus and tell the driver to take off before Nat & Kat get on the bus, which he does.
Ron & Tony get the first flight. Chad & Stephanie go through a long line instead of to the flagged counter so Jill & Thomas get ahead and get on the first flight. Chad & Stephanie are told to go to another counter and Katie & Rachel are racing to the counter, but Chad & Stephanie beat them to it. Rachel says “son of a bitch” a lot.
Ron & Tony meet up with other teams on first flight. Ron says they may have been underestimated because “we’ve got a big fat guy on the team.” Tony tells him “It’s called healthy.” All the teams on the second flight are hugging and greeting each other.
Once they get to London, everyone forgets they have to get in the “passenger side” to drive. Stephanie laughs about driving a stick on the left side. Ron & Tony stop to get a map. Chad & Stephanie end up back by the airport and Chad snips a little, and these two are gonna argue a bit too. Nick & Vicki seems lost. Andie is driving and not doing well with the clutch - she’s burning the clutch and their car smells - Connor & Jonathan are behind them and can smell it. Connor & Jonathan try to help but end up leaving them stuck in traffic. Andie was riding the clutch and ended up trying to shift into reverse instead of forward gear. Nat & Kat get to Stonehenge first.
The clue tells them to “Find the castle that is the opposite of Nor’easter,” which is Eastnor Castle. They stop and ask a local and are told it might be near Tewksbury. Chad & Stephanie use the internet and Rachel & Katie ask a local - Brook & Claire just jump in the car and go. Rachel & Katie see Nat & Kat on the road and ask if they want to find it together. Rachel is trying to drive the stick and stalls it. Ron & Tony are lost. Gary & Mallory and Connor & Jonathan get their clues together at Stonehenge and Mallory tells Jonathan “c’mon Princeton!” as they try and figure it out. They ask a local who tells them Castle Ledberry at Hedfordshire (what that has to do with Nor’easter, I haven’t a clue!) As Nick & Vicki drive up, Vicki says it’s the first she’d ever heard of Stonehenge, “and I find out it’s a bunch of rocks.”
Jill & Thomas get to the Eastnor Castle first with Nat & Kat and Brook & Claire right behind. The clue tells them to “storm the castle,” meaning they have to climb a ladder being guarded by a mob of peasants and retrieve a flag. They then have to travel across the moat in an ancient boat and give their flag to a knight in shining armor to get their next clue. (I wonder if any of the peasants are going to tell them “Your mother is a hamster, and your father smells of elderberries!” - It’s from Monty Python’s “Search for the Holy Grail” movie. If you haven’t seen it, rent it. It’s funny.) The peasants are tossing muddy water on them as they climb up the ladders. Rachel & Katie manage to get the flag first and run off.
Mallory & Gary get a flat as they stop at a gas station and Connor & Jonathan, who are following, decide to take off instead of waiting for the tire to get changed.
Brook & Claire end up sinking, as do the other teams, so they all have to go back and try again. The boats look like turtle shells and are quite wobbly. Jill is in the boat with her back to the shore and doing all the pulling to get across, and Thomas just tells her how great she’s doing. Nat & Kat are pulling the rope together with Brook & Claire bringing up the rear.
Rachel & Katie are calling Stephanie “Tinkerbell” for some reason. They’re happy to see Chad & Stephanie, knowing they’re not far behind. Ron & Tony finally get to Stonehenge and ask how many teams are ahead, and the local tells them “lots and lots.”
It’s hysterical watching Chad & Stephanie trying to get into the boat without it tipping, although Chad is getting aggravated. He’s standing and she’s sitting, and they sink - twice.
Jenna & Andie think they’re looking for Norwest Castle. Ron & Tony are having major problems navigating because of the number of roundabouts and lack of marked roads on the maps. Vicki tells us she needs “kindergarten directions.” (I think Vicki is our dumb blonde this Race - and she’s a brunette!)
Jill & Thomas get their flag to the knight first and get the next clue. The knight tells them “Welcome to the tournament” and the clue asks “who’s ready to go into battle with a knight in shining armor?” I’m wondering if they will have to joust, but no, Phil says it’s a Roadblock where they have to team up with a knight and use a medieval weapon, a balista, to shoot watermelons at a knight figure 50 feet away. It looks like a giant slingshot. Once they knock over the knight, they have to find the jester and get their next clue. Thomas decides to do it, and jumps on the horse with the knight. Claire thinks she’s got it in the bag because she grew up with horses. As Nat rides off with her knight, she says “My knight in shining armor, finally!” As they start flinging watermelons, they realize it’s not as easy as they may have thought and Claire now knows it really has nothing to do with horses.
Rachel & Katie get to the boats at the moat as Chad & Stephanie are still crossing, and Stephanie is yapping the whole time, telling Chad to go slow. Connor & Jonathan start climbing the wall at the castle and Connor tells us they’re missing their graduation to do the Race because it’s their last chance “to be kids, in a way.” As Chad & Stephanie sink yet again, we see that it’s their 12th attempt. Rachel & Katie laugh that they” just passed Tinkerbell and Pan.”
Thomas finally blasts his knight with the watermelon and gets the clue from the Jester. It tells them to find the Pit Stop, which is on the grounds of the Castle in the Eastnor Castle Meadow. Oh wow, it looks like they get to sleep in tents?! They see Phil at the Mat, and are told they are team number one. The Express Pass can be used up until the eighth leg of the Race (nice that they can’t use it close to the end, let’s keep stuff fair!) Even winning the leg of the Race, I noticed Jill doesn’t really have a happy face - she looks really dour all the time.
Rachel & Katie start navigating their boat as Nat absolutely blasts her knight and gets their next clue. Nat & Kat get to the Mat in second place. Claire manages to hit the flag next to the knight, and in her next attempt as Brook tells her to hit the knight right in the kisser, the watermelon springs back and smacks her right in the face. Claire has a headache and says she can’t see right, but Brook tells her she has to keep going - “They don’t call this The Amazing Race for nothing.” Rachel & Katie feel that Claire is brave to keep going. After two more shots she finally gets the knight, and the Jester is even impressed as Brook yells “she just got hit in the face with a watermelon!” Connor gets his knight and Rachel hits hers right after. As they run through the field, Claire keeps saying “I can’t feel my face.” Connor & Jonathan get third (after slipping and falling on his ass onto the Mat) and Brook & Claire get fourth.
We get to Kevin & Michael and their many attempts to manage the boat, and at least they’re laughing as they sink. Andie & Jenna are still on the road as are Nick & Vicki and Ron & Tony, looking for the Castle. Mallory & Gary are cracking up as they get pelted with water going up the wall. They see Kevin & Michael and Gary says “they look like a couple carnies in a dunking booth.” Mallory & Gary seem to get the boat on the first try and give Kevin & Michael an idea how to do it. Andie & Jenna finally make to the Castle as Nick & Vicki stop for directions and Ron & Tony are really getting discouraged.
Chad & Stephanie are wandering around the grounds and can’t find the Mat. Michael & Kevin finally get across, slow and steady, with Michael saying that was the best moment of the Race for he and his son. (Considering it’s only been a day.....) Nick & Vicki actually make it to the Castle and as they read the clue to “retrieve a medieval flag from the battlements” they’re dumbfounded, asking people “are you the battlement?” I really hope they stick around for comic relief! They wander around in a stupor, walking right past a flag.
As Gary rides off to defeat the knight Mallory stands watching the Jester juggle as he stands on a ball, and seems to be in awe. She seems kinda ditzy too, but nowhere near as Vicki! Can’t wait to see them in the boats - as they wander right by the boats, saying that there are no more boats left and they’ll have to go across and get one. They finally realize where the boats are and I’m bummed, they figure it out on the second try. Kevin hits his knight just after Gary does, and as Chad & Stephanie still wander around the grounds looking for the Mat, Mallory & Gary get to Phil in sixth and Michael & Kevin are right behind. Somehow, Chad & Stephanie manage to find the Mat and admit in their interview that the arguing defeats their purpose.
Jenna finally hits her knight and they get to the Mat in ninth place. Ron & Tony’s boat sinks time after time as Nick keeps slinging watermelons, and they get their clue. They get to the Mat and Phil asks them “What’s the name of this country?” Vicki answers “We’re in London, right?” Phil shakes his head and says “That’s right, we’re in the country of London.” They do correctly guess that they’re in 10th place.
Ron & Tony seem to give up but get to the Mat, and Phil hates to tell them they’ve been eliminated. They’re very sweet, saying that their friendship is worth everything. Awwww, you’re still going home, fellas.
So here’s how they all ended up:
1 - Jill & Thomas
2 - Nat & Kat
3 - Connor & Jonathan
4 - Brook & Claire
5 - Rachel & Katie
6 - Mallory & Gary
7 - Michael & Kevin
8 - Chad & Stephanie
9 - Andie & Jenna
10 - Nick & Vicki
11 - Ron & Tony (eliminated)
Well, I get my wish, and Nick & Vicki, the rocket scientists, will still be around to give us a good laugh for at least another leg of the Race. Any teams jump out at you as frontrunners? Will Nick & Vicki manage to find their way out of the country of London? We'll find out next week!
Brook & Claire tell us they are great communicators and can manipulate people to get their way. Chad & Stephanie just met eight months ago and already bought a house together. Chad says he is going to propose to Stephanie on the Race. Katie & Rachel want us to know they are smart, tough, athletic. But when the time comes, “We’re gonna be some bitches.” Connor & Jonathan, the a capella singers from Princeton, say they’ll sing to make other teams like them. They offer that tenors are tough guys and manly. (Okay.) Nat & Kat as doctors, they’re used to being stressed and sleep deprived so they figure they’ll have a leg up there. Michael & Kevin say they have conflicting cultures because Dad is an immigrant and Kevin is more Americanized. Nick & Vicki are full of tattoos but say those are deceiving because they’re very athletic. Ron & Tony met while doing “The Wiz” and are best friends, and it’s Tony’s dream to run the Race. Jill & Thomas tell us Thomas is outspoken and competitive - he’s gonna be a bulldozer and there might be some good arguments with these two. Mallory & Gary tell us that hard work and being a good person can get you anywhere. Gary says “Don’t let the pot belly and gray hair fool you.” Jenna & Andie are meeting for the third time and want to feel fulfilled after the Race.
Phil welcomes the teams and tells them there is a new element in this Race. The first team to check in on the first Leg gets a prize - an Express Pass they can use any time during a challenge they don’t want to complete. The Pass will allow them to skip the task, get the clue and move on. Phil also tells them that even though two flights are waiting, first flight has room for only three teams and will land 30 minutes earlier.
So now we begin. Phil? “The world is waiting for you. Good luck...Travel safe...Go!”
They’ll be flying to London & going to Stonehenge to find the next clue. There are Mini Coopers (at least I think they are, the cars might be Smart cars. Anyway, they’re really small). The cars must have cameras in the dashboards, because there’s no room for camera guys in them for sure! There’s also no air conditioning, because all the teams are sweating bullets as they drive.
Ron & Tony tell us they can navigate well. (Hmmm, does this mean they’re gonna get lost big time?) Connor & Jonathan find out they’re on the wrong side of the city and Connor laughs “I hope we get out of America.” Ron & Tony get to the airport first. Rachel & Katie know they’re in fourth behind the best friends, Chad & Stephanie and Jill & Thomas but decide to try to go to American to get on the first flight anyway. Gary & Mallory and Brooke & Claire jump on a shuttle bus and tell the driver to take off before Nat & Kat get on the bus, which he does.
Ron & Tony get the first flight. Chad & Stephanie go through a long line instead of to the flagged counter so Jill & Thomas get ahead and get on the first flight. Chad & Stephanie are told to go to another counter and Katie & Rachel are racing to the counter, but Chad & Stephanie beat them to it. Rachel says “son of a bitch” a lot.
Ron & Tony meet up with other teams on first flight. Ron says they may have been underestimated because “we’ve got a big fat guy on the team.” Tony tells him “It’s called healthy.” All the teams on the second flight are hugging and greeting each other.
Once they get to London, everyone forgets they have to get in the “passenger side” to drive. Stephanie laughs about driving a stick on the left side. Ron & Tony stop to get a map. Chad & Stephanie end up back by the airport and Chad snips a little, and these two are gonna argue a bit too. Nick & Vicki seems lost. Andie is driving and not doing well with the clutch - she’s burning the clutch and their car smells - Connor & Jonathan are behind them and can smell it. Connor & Jonathan try to help but end up leaving them stuck in traffic. Andie was riding the clutch and ended up trying to shift into reverse instead of forward gear. Nat & Kat get to Stonehenge first.
The clue tells them to “Find the castle that is the opposite of Nor’easter,” which is Eastnor Castle. They stop and ask a local and are told it might be near Tewksbury. Chad & Stephanie use the internet and Rachel & Katie ask a local - Brook & Claire just jump in the car and go. Rachel & Katie see Nat & Kat on the road and ask if they want to find it together. Rachel is trying to drive the stick and stalls it. Ron & Tony are lost. Gary & Mallory and Connor & Jonathan get their clues together at Stonehenge and Mallory tells Jonathan “c’mon Princeton!” as they try and figure it out. They ask a local who tells them Castle Ledberry at Hedfordshire (what that has to do with Nor’easter, I haven’t a clue!) As Nick & Vicki drive up, Vicki says it’s the first she’d ever heard of Stonehenge, “and I find out it’s a bunch of rocks.”
Jill & Thomas get to the Eastnor Castle first with Nat & Kat and Brook & Claire right behind. The clue tells them to “storm the castle,” meaning they have to climb a ladder being guarded by a mob of peasants and retrieve a flag. They then have to travel across the moat in an ancient boat and give their flag to a knight in shining armor to get their next clue. (I wonder if any of the peasants are going to tell them “Your mother is a hamster, and your father smells of elderberries!” - It’s from Monty Python’s “Search for the Holy Grail” movie. If you haven’t seen it, rent it. It’s funny.) The peasants are tossing muddy water on them as they climb up the ladders. Rachel & Katie manage to get the flag first and run off.
Mallory & Gary get a flat as they stop at a gas station and Connor & Jonathan, who are following, decide to take off instead of waiting for the tire to get changed.
Brook & Claire end up sinking, as do the other teams, so they all have to go back and try again. The boats look like turtle shells and are quite wobbly. Jill is in the boat with her back to the shore and doing all the pulling to get across, and Thomas just tells her how great she’s doing. Nat & Kat are pulling the rope together with Brook & Claire bringing up the rear.
Rachel & Katie are calling Stephanie “Tinkerbell” for some reason. They’re happy to see Chad & Stephanie, knowing they’re not far behind. Ron & Tony finally get to Stonehenge and ask how many teams are ahead, and the local tells them “lots and lots.”
It’s hysterical watching Chad & Stephanie trying to get into the boat without it tipping, although Chad is getting aggravated. He’s standing and she’s sitting, and they sink - twice.
Jenna & Andie think they’re looking for Norwest Castle. Ron & Tony are having major problems navigating because of the number of roundabouts and lack of marked roads on the maps. Vicki tells us she needs “kindergarten directions.” (I think Vicki is our dumb blonde this Race - and she’s a brunette!)
Jill & Thomas get their flag to the knight first and get the next clue. The knight tells them “Welcome to the tournament” and the clue asks “who’s ready to go into battle with a knight in shining armor?” I’m wondering if they will have to joust, but no, Phil says it’s a Roadblock where they have to team up with a knight and use a medieval weapon, a balista, to shoot watermelons at a knight figure 50 feet away. It looks like a giant slingshot. Once they knock over the knight, they have to find the jester and get their next clue. Thomas decides to do it, and jumps on the horse with the knight. Claire thinks she’s got it in the bag because she grew up with horses. As Nat rides off with her knight, she says “My knight in shining armor, finally!” As they start flinging watermelons, they realize it’s not as easy as they may have thought and Claire now knows it really has nothing to do with horses.
Rachel & Katie get to the boats at the moat as Chad & Stephanie are still crossing, and Stephanie is yapping the whole time, telling Chad to go slow. Connor & Jonathan start climbing the wall at the castle and Connor tells us they’re missing their graduation to do the Race because it’s their last chance “to be kids, in a way.” As Chad & Stephanie sink yet again, we see that it’s their 12th attempt. Rachel & Katie laugh that they” just passed Tinkerbell and Pan.”
Thomas finally blasts his knight with the watermelon and gets the clue from the Jester. It tells them to find the Pit Stop, which is on the grounds of the Castle in the Eastnor Castle Meadow. Oh wow, it looks like they get to sleep in tents?! They see Phil at the Mat, and are told they are team number one. The Express Pass can be used up until the eighth leg of the Race (nice that they can’t use it close to the end, let’s keep stuff fair!) Even winning the leg of the Race, I noticed Jill doesn’t really have a happy face - she looks really dour all the time.
Rachel & Katie start navigating their boat as Nat absolutely blasts her knight and gets their next clue. Nat & Kat get to the Mat in second place. Claire manages to hit the flag next to the knight, and in her next attempt as Brook tells her to hit the knight right in the kisser, the watermelon springs back and smacks her right in the face. Claire has a headache and says she can’t see right, but Brook tells her she has to keep going - “They don’t call this The Amazing Race for nothing.” Rachel & Katie feel that Claire is brave to keep going. After two more shots she finally gets the knight, and the Jester is even impressed as Brook yells “she just got hit in the face with a watermelon!” Connor gets his knight and Rachel hits hers right after. As they run through the field, Claire keeps saying “I can’t feel my face.” Connor & Jonathan get third (after slipping and falling on his ass onto the Mat) and Brook & Claire get fourth.
We get to Kevin & Michael and their many attempts to manage the boat, and at least they’re laughing as they sink. Andie & Jenna are still on the road as are Nick & Vicki and Ron & Tony, looking for the Castle. Mallory & Gary are cracking up as they get pelted with water going up the wall. They see Kevin & Michael and Gary says “they look like a couple carnies in a dunking booth.” Mallory & Gary seem to get the boat on the first try and give Kevin & Michael an idea how to do it. Andie & Jenna finally make to the Castle as Nick & Vicki stop for directions and Ron & Tony are really getting discouraged.
Chad & Stephanie are wandering around the grounds and can’t find the Mat. Michael & Kevin finally get across, slow and steady, with Michael saying that was the best moment of the Race for he and his son. (Considering it’s only been a day.....) Nick & Vicki actually make it to the Castle and as they read the clue to “retrieve a medieval flag from the battlements” they’re dumbfounded, asking people “are you the battlement?” I really hope they stick around for comic relief! They wander around in a stupor, walking right past a flag.
As Gary rides off to defeat the knight Mallory stands watching the Jester juggle as he stands on a ball, and seems to be in awe. She seems kinda ditzy too, but nowhere near as Vicki! Can’t wait to see them in the boats - as they wander right by the boats, saying that there are no more boats left and they’ll have to go across and get one. They finally realize where the boats are and I’m bummed, they figure it out on the second try. Kevin hits his knight just after Gary does, and as Chad & Stephanie still wander around the grounds looking for the Mat, Mallory & Gary get to Phil in sixth and Michael & Kevin are right behind. Somehow, Chad & Stephanie manage to find the Mat and admit in their interview that the arguing defeats their purpose.
Jenna finally hits her knight and they get to the Mat in ninth place. Ron & Tony’s boat sinks time after time as Nick keeps slinging watermelons, and they get their clue. They get to the Mat and Phil asks them “What’s the name of this country?” Vicki answers “We’re in London, right?” Phil shakes his head and says “That’s right, we’re in the country of London.” They do correctly guess that they’re in 10th place.
Ron & Tony seem to give up but get to the Mat, and Phil hates to tell them they’ve been eliminated. They’re very sweet, saying that their friendship is worth everything. Awwww, you’re still going home, fellas.
So here’s how they all ended up:
1 - Jill & Thomas
2 - Nat & Kat
3 - Connor & Jonathan
4 - Brook & Claire
5 - Rachel & Katie
6 - Mallory & Gary
7 - Michael & Kevin
8 - Chad & Stephanie
9 - Andie & Jenna
10 - Nick & Vicki
11 - Ron & Tony (eliminated)
Well, I get my wish, and Nick & Vicki, the rocket scientists, will still be around to give us a good laugh for at least another leg of the Race. Any teams jump out at you as frontrunners? Will Nick & Vicki manage to find their way out of the country of London? We'll find out next week!
Sunday, May 9, 2010
We Have a Winner! Brothers Dan & Jordan Get the Million
Okay, folks, tonight’s the night! One of the three remaining teams will win $1 million! Will it be airhead models Brent & Caite, cowboy brothers Jet & Cord, or brothers Dan & Jordan? Tell you what, it will be a fight to the finish, with the way things are starting out, that’s for sure!
The teams begin in Shanghai, China, and Brent & Caite lead the way from the Pit Stop. Their clue tells them to go to San Francisco, and find Battery Godfrey, a military outpost near the Golden Gate Bridge. Brent & Caite are looking forward to getting back to the States. Cord doesn’t know if he’s more excited to be in the Final Three or to be headed back to the US. At the airport, the marked counter doesn’t open until 10:45 a.m. Dan & Jordan arrive and meet up with the other two teams, and Jordan puts his backpack by Brent & Caite’s, and decides that puts them second in line for tickets. Dan & Jordan end up standing in front of Jet & Cord, and there is a bit of arguing. Quite low-key, thankfully (although if it got heated the Cowboys would definitely put Dan & Jordan out very quickly, I imagine). Jet wonders aloud how the brothers got in 6 hours after them but can get tickets ahead of them. Jet & Cord discuss “grabbing their backpack and throwing them backward” but say it could get them in trouble. Jet says “If that’s the way they want to run the Race, that’s fine with me. If they wanna drop the gloves, I’ll drop the gloves. As the Cowboys interview in line behind the Brothers, Jordan says “it’s a race, it’s a game, and there’s a million bucks at the end. You can hate the game but don’t hate the player.” The Cowboys just shake their heads and as they leave with their tickets, Jordan tells them “don’t hate” and Jet just tells them “get out of the way.” After not doing a dirty thing one time on the Race so far, (per Dan), they’re not being Mr. Nice Guy any more. It’s the Final Three, and they’re going for it. (I can’t really decide if this move was all that evil. Yes, they should have gotten their tickets in third place, and I think it was ethically nasty, but I think it was a smart move. If Jet & Cord hadn’t gotten tickets, now that would have been really evil of the Brothers. Besides, we’ll see if Karma catches up with them!) Dan got the idea to talk to a stewardess and see if they could move up to first class - and they did so rather than being in the back of the plane, they’re now getting off first. They make it out of the airport first and get a big jump on the other teams.
At Battery Godfrey, the clue is a riddle: “I was built in 1933. I’m 210 feet tall. My insides are lined with murals painted by 26 different artists. What am I?” The clue box will be at the Coit Tower at the top of Telegraph Hill, where you can see the city in all directions. Brent & Caite, in the meantime, are getting clues that their cab driver isn’t sure where he’s going. Jet & Cord are in the same predicament, when their cabbie says “almost somewhere now here.” Jet & Cord pass Brent & Caite as they look at a map on the side of the road, and tell their driver to go to Langdon Street. Dan & Jordan’s cab driver can’t help them solve the riddle so they run along a guy riding a bike and find out it’s Coit Tower. Jordan (who up till now I assumed to be somewhat bright) says “people who ride bicycles are smart. It’s a general rule.”
Jet & Cord pass Brent & Caite to the clue box. Back in Shanghai, they bought a travel guidebook to San Francisco, and as Jet read the clue Cord remembered it was in the book. They leave and we see Brent & Caite complaining because their Asian cab driver speaks little English. (Karma will bite you in the ass every time, kids!) Jet & Cord tell their cabbie to drive fast as they pass Brent & Caite’s cab so he won’t tell them where to go. Caite whines “now we’re gonna lose because of this dumbass.” At the Coit Tower, Jordan sees something hanging off a high window and tells Dan “you’re going to have to climb it for the clue.” Not really - it’s a Roadblock, and one team member must climb the side to grab the clue using a mechanical ascender (a rope thingy). Dan gets geared up and starts inching his way up the side of the Tower.
In the meantime, Ciate is being especially obnoxious and rude, now calling their cab driver a dumbass out loud. Brent tells her to chill out, and she tells Brent she wants to punch him in the face. (If they get married and have kids, Brent should stay out of the delivery room. Caite gets a little pain and she’ll kill him!) Jet & Cord get to the Coit Tower as we see Dan struggling to get up the Tower. Cord will attempt the challenge and Dan manages to finish and get back down with the clue before Jet gets moving up. (Was anyone else getting aggravated with Jordan’s encouragement to his brother - ending every sentence with “bro”?)
The clue tells them to go to Yoda Fountain which yes, is a fountain with a statue of cute little Yoda. It’s located in front of Lucasfilm Studios. As their cab takes off, calling someone to find out where the Yoda Statue is, Jet is making short work of the climb up the tower. Brent & Caite stop and ask someone to help them solve the riddle and their driver says he knows where Coit Tower is. Dan & Jordan get to the clue at Lucasfilm and it tells them they will “join forces with a special effects company." One team member will put on a motion capture suit and go to a sound stage. The other team member will sit in front of a computer dressed in a storm trooper suit and direct them through a virtual maze. Once they decide which role they’ll take, they’re escorted into the building by armed storm troopers. Looks ominous! As Cord descends the Tower, he says “riding bulls is much easier than that!”
I guess the “director” of the maze doesn’t have to wear a storm trooper suit - bummer. That would make it a bit harder, I would think, but the storm trooper was just for show. Letdown! Jordan keeps laughing that he’s wearing a “suit with balls on it.” They can hear each other, and Dan will have to make Jordan walk around a room as Dan watches a computer screen. Jordan has an avatar on the screen and there’s a maze he has to go through with Dan’s direction. Dan mentions that he’s a sports freak and not into video games. Dan first tells Jordan to “walk toward the blue light” but Jordan sees nothing but a plain room that almost looks like a gymnasium. It doesn’t take Dan long to catch on and he has Jordan turn in a circle so he can “see” everything around him.
Jet & Cord show up and as Jet is getting suited up, Cord hears Dan talking and starts barking orders himself (without his headset on yet) - telling Jet to jump up and down, and do ballet moves. Dan is getting peeved as Cord yells louder, telling Jet (who’s not even out there yet) to “do a two-step” and “sashay.” Dan gets his composure and gets Jordan through level one. Cord is finally on the headset telling Jet “you see that blue spot” and Jet tells him he can’t see anything like that. Jet’s Avatar on the screen is wearing a black cowboy hat! Dan gets Jordan to the end, but there are words circling on the screen and Dan has to read them. Back at the Tower, Brent does the climb and takes the time to enjoy the view on the way down. Jordan moves his head and Dan realizes that when he does that, the words slow down. Jet is getting close to the end of level one, but he has to move forward and Jordan is in the way. Cord slaps the wall next to him where Dan is, telling Dan to direct Jordan out of the way. Dan swears at Cord and Cord tells him “I’m gonna have these Star Wars guys take you out, man.”
Jordan is spinning around in circles so Dan can read the words, but telling Dan he’s about to throw up. Cord tells Jet to get out of the way so he doesn’t get puked on. Jet can step up enough for Cord to get to the second level. Jordan spins a bit more and Dan finally gets what he needs and Jordan is happy he doesn’t have to spin any more. As he leaves, Dan yells out instructions as he passes Cord. The Brothers leave as they read the clue: “A long time ago, on a hill, this Polynesian haven and they called it Tonga.” They must go to a Tiki Bar called Tonga for their next clue. (And they’re in San Francisco, so the “on a hill” part isn’t any help.) As they leave the building Jet gets to the end and Cord can’t figure out how to read the words (after all the spinning by Jordan you’d think they’d have figured that part out!) Brent & Caite get to Lucasfilm and Brent immediately says “I’m the director.” Cord is looking for the “slo mo” on the computer. He’s catching the beginning of the clue as Brent & Caite get through the first level.
Dan & Jordan get to Tonga. They must take a trunk that is there to their next destination. They’re not sure where that will be because there’s no clue box, but there’s a label on the trunk that says “The Great American Music Hall.” They bump into a local who has no idea where it is.
Back at the studio, Cord finally realizes that Jordan was spinning for a reason. Brent tells Caite to spin around pretty much from the beginning. Dan & Jordan finally find someone who knows where they have to go, and are told it’s a 10-15 minute walk away. Brent & Caite finish just behind Jet & Cord, but lose any hope of catching up when Caite asks where their “money and stuff’ is. They realize they have to turn around. Dan & Jordan are getting tired carrying the trunk and start arguing about moving the trunk the wrong way and bashing their shins. Jet & Cord are running through the streets with their trunk, telling a passing woman “excuse me, Ma’am. We got kicked out.” Dan & Jordan make it to the Music Hall and Phil explains that San Francisco was the heart of the psychedelic music scene. (So, what, they’re gonna have to drop acid and try and finish the race? Get through an orgy with 10 women? And two guys? Protest at a sit-in?) To get their final clue, they’ll have to “flash back to the Age of Aquarius.” In their trunk are 11 psychedelic posters. Eight represent the teams already eliminated and three represent the non-elimination legs. They will have to put the posters in the proper order to get their clue, and Jordan is ecstatic because after watching the Amazing Race for 15 seasons, he knows there’s a memory challenge involved. He wrote down everything as they progressed through the Race. He shouts out the order of teams to Dan as Dan hangs the posters and they finish in very fast fashion. Their last clue reads: “Jack be nimble, Jack be quick. To find the finish line, jump over to [blank].” As they put their posters back in the trunk, Dan figures out they need to go to Candlestick Park. They spend some time hugging before they dash off to find a taxi, which they have trouble locating.
Jet & Cord seem to be making good headway with the posters and Dan & Jordan still haven’t found a taxi. As the Cowboys finish, Dan & Jordan get a cab and what looks like right after, Jet & Cord hop in a cab. Their cabbie asks them if there’s a rodeo at Candlestick Park. Jordan sucks up saying they have the “best cab driver ever.” It looks very close, but I’m wondering exactly how close it is. Dan & Jordan emerge onto the field through the big helmet and jump on Phil at the Mat. They both talk about what an amazing experience it was, and how great it was to win. It seems like the Cowboys come running in shortly after, and find out they’re team two. They talk about traveling around the world with their brother and best friend, and “with my character and integrity intact.” A swipe at Dan & Jordan, for sure, but as it turned out it wouldn’t have made a difference, so they need to let it go. Brent & Caite show up and we see Brandy & Carol (talk about letting it go) watch them come in and Brandy doesn’t clap and Carol claps slowly. Phil asks her if there was anything Caite wanted to prove, and she says “that I’m intelligent” and we see Brandy snark something to Carol. Phil says she is the only woman to finish in the Final Three, “but there are two other women....” Caite turns to say something to Carol & Brandy and Brandy immediately jumps on her, saying “I don’t want to hear sorry. You purposely whacked us.” Carol is turning away in embarrassment. Caite tells her “maybe ya’ll should have treated people a little bit better.” Brandy tells her “if you can’t handle it....” and Ciate comes back with “I can handle it. Obviously I’m standing her and not you.” Sorry, folks, she’s a bitch (not that Brandy is any better). Jordan interviews later saying that he can now say that “hey, bro, when we’re on the same team, we’re unbeatable.”
So another season has ended, another race around the world is done. We’ll look forward to The Amazing Race 17 in the fall! Have a great summer everyone and thanks for your comments!
The teams begin in Shanghai, China, and Brent & Caite lead the way from the Pit Stop. Their clue tells them to go to San Francisco, and find Battery Godfrey, a military outpost near the Golden Gate Bridge. Brent & Caite are looking forward to getting back to the States. Cord doesn’t know if he’s more excited to be in the Final Three or to be headed back to the US. At the airport, the marked counter doesn’t open until 10:45 a.m. Dan & Jordan arrive and meet up with the other two teams, and Jordan puts his backpack by Brent & Caite’s, and decides that puts them second in line for tickets. Dan & Jordan end up standing in front of Jet & Cord, and there is a bit of arguing. Quite low-key, thankfully (although if it got heated the Cowboys would definitely put Dan & Jordan out very quickly, I imagine). Jet wonders aloud how the brothers got in 6 hours after them but can get tickets ahead of them. Jet & Cord discuss “grabbing their backpack and throwing them backward” but say it could get them in trouble. Jet says “If that’s the way they want to run the Race, that’s fine with me. If they wanna drop the gloves, I’ll drop the gloves. As the Cowboys interview in line behind the Brothers, Jordan says “it’s a race, it’s a game, and there’s a million bucks at the end. You can hate the game but don’t hate the player.” The Cowboys just shake their heads and as they leave with their tickets, Jordan tells them “don’t hate” and Jet just tells them “get out of the way.” After not doing a dirty thing one time on the Race so far, (per Dan), they’re not being Mr. Nice Guy any more. It’s the Final Three, and they’re going for it. (I can’t really decide if this move was all that evil. Yes, they should have gotten their tickets in third place, and I think it was ethically nasty, but I think it was a smart move. If Jet & Cord hadn’t gotten tickets, now that would have been really evil of the Brothers. Besides, we’ll see if Karma catches up with them!) Dan got the idea to talk to a stewardess and see if they could move up to first class - and they did so rather than being in the back of the plane, they’re now getting off first. They make it out of the airport first and get a big jump on the other teams.
At Battery Godfrey, the clue is a riddle: “I was built in 1933. I’m 210 feet tall. My insides are lined with murals painted by 26 different artists. What am I?” The clue box will be at the Coit Tower at the top of Telegraph Hill, where you can see the city in all directions. Brent & Caite, in the meantime, are getting clues that their cab driver isn’t sure where he’s going. Jet & Cord are in the same predicament, when their cabbie says “almost somewhere now here.” Jet & Cord pass Brent & Caite as they look at a map on the side of the road, and tell their driver to go to Langdon Street. Dan & Jordan’s cab driver can’t help them solve the riddle so they run along a guy riding a bike and find out it’s Coit Tower. Jordan (who up till now I assumed to be somewhat bright) says “people who ride bicycles are smart. It’s a general rule.”
Jet & Cord pass Brent & Caite to the clue box. Back in Shanghai, they bought a travel guidebook to San Francisco, and as Jet read the clue Cord remembered it was in the book. They leave and we see Brent & Caite complaining because their Asian cab driver speaks little English. (Karma will bite you in the ass every time, kids!) Jet & Cord tell their cabbie to drive fast as they pass Brent & Caite’s cab so he won’t tell them where to go. Caite whines “now we’re gonna lose because of this dumbass.” At the Coit Tower, Jordan sees something hanging off a high window and tells Dan “you’re going to have to climb it for the clue.” Not really - it’s a Roadblock, and one team member must climb the side to grab the clue using a mechanical ascender (a rope thingy). Dan gets geared up and starts inching his way up the side of the Tower.
In the meantime, Ciate is being especially obnoxious and rude, now calling their cab driver a dumbass out loud. Brent tells her to chill out, and she tells Brent she wants to punch him in the face. (If they get married and have kids, Brent should stay out of the delivery room. Caite gets a little pain and she’ll kill him!) Jet & Cord get to the Coit Tower as we see Dan struggling to get up the Tower. Cord will attempt the challenge and Dan manages to finish and get back down with the clue before Jet gets moving up. (Was anyone else getting aggravated with Jordan’s encouragement to his brother - ending every sentence with “bro”?)
The clue tells them to go to Yoda Fountain which yes, is a fountain with a statue of cute little Yoda. It’s located in front of Lucasfilm Studios. As their cab takes off, calling someone to find out where the Yoda Statue is, Jet is making short work of the climb up the tower. Brent & Caite stop and ask someone to help them solve the riddle and their driver says he knows where Coit Tower is. Dan & Jordan get to the clue at Lucasfilm and it tells them they will “join forces with a special effects company." One team member will put on a motion capture suit and go to a sound stage. The other team member will sit in front of a computer dressed in a storm trooper suit and direct them through a virtual maze. Once they decide which role they’ll take, they’re escorted into the building by armed storm troopers. Looks ominous! As Cord descends the Tower, he says “riding bulls is much easier than that!”
I guess the “director” of the maze doesn’t have to wear a storm trooper suit - bummer. That would make it a bit harder, I would think, but the storm trooper was just for show. Letdown! Jordan keeps laughing that he’s wearing a “suit with balls on it.” They can hear each other, and Dan will have to make Jordan walk around a room as Dan watches a computer screen. Jordan has an avatar on the screen and there’s a maze he has to go through with Dan’s direction. Dan mentions that he’s a sports freak and not into video games. Dan first tells Jordan to “walk toward the blue light” but Jordan sees nothing but a plain room that almost looks like a gymnasium. It doesn’t take Dan long to catch on and he has Jordan turn in a circle so he can “see” everything around him.
Jet & Cord show up and as Jet is getting suited up, Cord hears Dan talking and starts barking orders himself (without his headset on yet) - telling Jet to jump up and down, and do ballet moves. Dan is getting peeved as Cord yells louder, telling Jet (who’s not even out there yet) to “do a two-step” and “sashay.” Dan gets his composure and gets Jordan through level one. Cord is finally on the headset telling Jet “you see that blue spot” and Jet tells him he can’t see anything like that. Jet’s Avatar on the screen is wearing a black cowboy hat! Dan gets Jordan to the end, but there are words circling on the screen and Dan has to read them. Back at the Tower, Brent does the climb and takes the time to enjoy the view on the way down. Jordan moves his head and Dan realizes that when he does that, the words slow down. Jet is getting close to the end of level one, but he has to move forward and Jordan is in the way. Cord slaps the wall next to him where Dan is, telling Dan to direct Jordan out of the way. Dan swears at Cord and Cord tells him “I’m gonna have these Star Wars guys take you out, man.”
Jordan is spinning around in circles so Dan can read the words, but telling Dan he’s about to throw up. Cord tells Jet to get out of the way so he doesn’t get puked on. Jet can step up enough for Cord to get to the second level. Jordan spins a bit more and Dan finally gets what he needs and Jordan is happy he doesn’t have to spin any more. As he leaves, Dan yells out instructions as he passes Cord. The Brothers leave as they read the clue: “A long time ago, on a hill, this Polynesian haven and they called it Tonga.” They must go to a Tiki Bar called Tonga for their next clue. (And they’re in San Francisco, so the “on a hill” part isn’t any help.) As they leave the building Jet gets to the end and Cord can’t figure out how to read the words (after all the spinning by Jordan you’d think they’d have figured that part out!) Brent & Caite get to Lucasfilm and Brent immediately says “I’m the director.” Cord is looking for the “slo mo” on the computer. He’s catching the beginning of the clue as Brent & Caite get through the first level.
Dan & Jordan get to Tonga. They must take a trunk that is there to their next destination. They’re not sure where that will be because there’s no clue box, but there’s a label on the trunk that says “The Great American Music Hall.” They bump into a local who has no idea where it is.
Back at the studio, Cord finally realizes that Jordan was spinning for a reason. Brent tells Caite to spin around pretty much from the beginning. Dan & Jordan finally find someone who knows where they have to go, and are told it’s a 10-15 minute walk away. Brent & Caite finish just behind Jet & Cord, but lose any hope of catching up when Caite asks where their “money and stuff’ is. They realize they have to turn around. Dan & Jordan are getting tired carrying the trunk and start arguing about moving the trunk the wrong way and bashing their shins. Jet & Cord are running through the streets with their trunk, telling a passing woman “excuse me, Ma’am. We got kicked out.” Dan & Jordan make it to the Music Hall and Phil explains that San Francisco was the heart of the psychedelic music scene. (So, what, they’re gonna have to drop acid and try and finish the race? Get through an orgy with 10 women? And two guys? Protest at a sit-in?) To get their final clue, they’ll have to “flash back to the Age of Aquarius.” In their trunk are 11 psychedelic posters. Eight represent the teams already eliminated and three represent the non-elimination legs. They will have to put the posters in the proper order to get their clue, and Jordan is ecstatic because after watching the Amazing Race for 15 seasons, he knows there’s a memory challenge involved. He wrote down everything as they progressed through the Race. He shouts out the order of teams to Dan as Dan hangs the posters and they finish in very fast fashion. Their last clue reads: “Jack be nimble, Jack be quick. To find the finish line, jump over to [blank].” As they put their posters back in the trunk, Dan figures out they need to go to Candlestick Park. They spend some time hugging before they dash off to find a taxi, which they have trouble locating.
Jet & Cord seem to be making good headway with the posters and Dan & Jordan still haven’t found a taxi. As the Cowboys finish, Dan & Jordan get a cab and what looks like right after, Jet & Cord hop in a cab. Their cabbie asks them if there’s a rodeo at Candlestick Park. Jordan sucks up saying they have the “best cab driver ever.” It looks very close, but I’m wondering exactly how close it is. Dan & Jordan emerge onto the field through the big helmet and jump on Phil at the Mat. They both talk about what an amazing experience it was, and how great it was to win. It seems like the Cowboys come running in shortly after, and find out they’re team two. They talk about traveling around the world with their brother and best friend, and “with my character and integrity intact.” A swipe at Dan & Jordan, for sure, but as it turned out it wouldn’t have made a difference, so they need to let it go. Brent & Caite show up and we see Brandy & Carol (talk about letting it go) watch them come in and Brandy doesn’t clap and Carol claps slowly. Phil asks her if there was anything Caite wanted to prove, and she says “that I’m intelligent” and we see Brandy snark something to Carol. Phil says she is the only woman to finish in the Final Three, “but there are two other women....” Caite turns to say something to Carol & Brandy and Brandy immediately jumps on her, saying “I don’t want to hear sorry. You purposely whacked us.” Carol is turning away in embarrassment. Caite tells her “maybe ya’ll should have treated people a little bit better.” Brandy tells her “if you can’t handle it....” and Ciate comes back with “I can handle it. Obviously I’m standing her and not you.” Sorry, folks, she’s a bitch (not that Brandy is any better). Jordan interviews later saying that he can now say that “hey, bro, when we’re on the same team, we’re unbeatable.”
So another season has ended, another race around the world is done. We’ll look forward to The Amazing Race 17 in the fall! Have a great summer everyone and thanks for your comments!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Models, Cowboys and Brothers Will Race for the Million!
The Amazing Race is nearing its end! Four teams left before next week’s finale!
As the teams leave, we hear that Jet was hit on the side of the head by a hoof and ended up with a crushed skull - they weren’t sure he was going to make it. Cord stayed at his hospital bed the entire time. Cord says Jet is the strongest guy he knows, and that gives them a good shot at winning the Race. They take off and the clue tells them to find the Garden Bridge, which locals know only by its Chinese name (and they didn’t put it up on the screen and I have no clue what Phil said!) They ask some locals, and finally find one who directs them to the Park Bridge.
Brent & Caite leave next, and Caite says she still gets negative comments from her stupid answer in the Teen USA pageant. If she finishes in the final three it will “show the world that I can accomplish anything I put my mind to.” Except that her mind isn’t all there, so....
Jet & Cord get to the destination they were told to go to and see nothing with the Race colors, so they decide to find out from someone else. Brent & Caite get lucky and find a local to search it on her phone, and she finds out it is called Waibaidu Qiao. She writes a note and tells them to go by taxi. Jet & Cord ask a taxi driver who tells them he can get them there, then once moving tells them he doesn’t know where the address is.
Dan & Jordan are leaving and Dan says he did the Race just for Jordan’s dream (like we haven’t heard that 100 times already) but now he wants to win it for himself too. They also can’t find anyone who knows where the Garden Bridge is.
Brent & Caite reach the clue box, and their clue says they must go to the Longhua Temple for their next clue - but they cannot travel by taxi. Jet & Cord get there shortly behind. Brent & Caite get a map of the bus routes and she decides they have to take Route 3, and the bus driver confirms it. Caite says that “obviously I know how to read maps....and in China. So you people can go screw yourselves.” (I’m impressed). Jet & Cord ask their cab driver the best way to get to the Temple and he tells them by train, and the station is a kilometer away. Dan & Jordan meet a local and ask him about the Garden Bridge, and he’s Mr. Clueless. Dan has decided he hates China and will never be back because of the language barrier. Two hours after their start, they still have no idea where they’re going so they decide to go back and team up with Michael & Louie. Their strategy is never to be alone and in last place - and with Michael & Louie having a Speed Bump, this would allow Dan & Jordan to go ahead. Michael & Louie think they’ve “caught up” to Dan & Jordan after walking a bit from the Pit Stop, although they have to feel better about being close to another team. They go up to a higher point, and Michael uses his little telescope to see if he can find the Garden Bridge. Because he’s a detective, he can see things better than most people (don’t think it’s going to help you here, buddy!)
Brent & Caite get to the Temple and the clue box. It’s a Roadblock. Phil explains that the word “Arhat” means “one who has attained enlightenment.” The teams must count all the golden statues in the Arhat Hall (523). If they’re correct, they get a clue - if not, they must wait ten minutes before guessing again. Caite will attempt the task and tells Brent to leave her alone while she counts. Brent says this is a good task to show everyone that Caite is more intelligent than everyone thinks. (I’m thinking she’s gonna do something incredibly stupid this leg of the Race...otherwise what’s all this talk about Caite not being as stupid as we know she is?) Her first guess of 520 is wrong.
Michael & Louie and Dan & Jordan spot some jackets hanging on a street sign and decide maybe the clues are in the pockets. After poking through them they find they’re wrong - and I think they’re lucky they didn’t get arrested for going through someone’s pockets (although they were hanging on a public street sign). Jet & Cord are still walking and haven’t found the train station. Ciate guesses again, this time 522. So much for showing people how smart you are!
Michael asks to borrow a cell phone and calls the translation number. The phone number is in every cab and when one has problems telling the cab driver where to go because of the language barrier, they will find out in English and tell the taxi driver in Chinese. He gives the phone to a cab driver and Dan & Jordan tell their cab to follow Michael & Louie’s cab. Dan & Jordan are having fits because their driver isn’t following the other cab close enough, and the front cab gets through a light and they’re stuck behind. Louie comments how it’s nice to have the boys with them, and Michael looks back and says “they’re not with us any more.” Dan & Jordan are practically trying to crawl in the front seat of the cab, telling the driver to follow the green cab, and not getting anywhere.
Caite says the statutes started blending together into one big gold statue after awhile. She guesses 524 this time. Jet & Cord get to the Temple and pass right by Brent as they look for the clue box. They finally find it and Cord is the one who will attempt the count.
Dan & Jordan manage to catch up to Michael & Louie’s cab at the bridge and get the clue. Back at the Temple, Cord notices that there are two statutes standing up, not of Buddha, but re-reading the clue he sees he must count “all the gold statues.” He figures he should count those too, and it turns out that he’s correct and gets his clue. Caite comes out just behind him and manages to have the right answer as well, finally. The clue tells them they must choose a motorcycle and ride it to the Yuyuan Gardens and find their next clue. One team member rides on the back of the bike and the other in the sidecar. Jet laughs that riding in a motorcycle through China was something for a country boy like him, from a town with one stop light.
The Brothers and the Detectives go to a hotel and ask how to get to the Temple and are told how to get to the bus stop. Michael says if they were going by taxi they would ditch the Brothers and go on their way. Brent & Caite and Jet & Cord are having problems finding the Gardens, and Caite is being accosted by vendors asking if they want to buy things, and being snotty about it. Jet & Cord find the clue box and it's a Detour: Pork Chops or Pork Dumplings. For Pork Chops, they must go to a store which sells elaborate carved stamps, which are called “chops.” They must find a stamp with a pig and one with their name and turn them in for their next clue. In Pork Dumpling, teams go to a restaurant and pick up ten orders of dumplings and make their way through the market to deliver them to get their clue. Jet & Cord decide on Pork Chops and find the store rather easily and start looking through the stamps as Brent & Caite find the clue and pick the same task. Brent can’t even concentrate because he has to go to the bathroom really bad. Caite tells him to “just go” and Brent says Caite can’t look while he’s in the bathroom, so Caite tells him to just hold it. He tries to convince her to go with him to the rest room and she says “I’m not going anywhere.” (Nice girlfriend. Although that’s what got the female basketball players eliminated a couple seasons ago, when one of them had to stop to pee.)
The other two teams get to the Temple and Michael & Louie get their Speed Bump. They will have to perform a local good luck ritual by tossing a coin into an incense burner. They’ll be able to continue from there “hopefully with enough good luck to make up the time.” The incense burner is right by the Temple so they don't have to go far. Louie gets his coin in pretty quickly. Dan is the one who attempts the counting and Michael & Louie make short work of the coin toss and join the Brothers at the Temple to count statues. Louie is a “mathematical genius” and he’ll kick butt, according to Michael - and Jordan asks “so you’re calling my brother stupid?” Back at the stamp store, Brent is still complaining about needing to go to the bathroom, and not looking for stamps at all, telling Caite if they went to the bathroom he would be able to help. They started arguing and finally went down the hall to the bathroom.
Dan decided the best way to do things is to take your time and it would be done right, and gets it right on the first attempt. Michael is bummed as he watches them leave. They take off on the motorcycle and Jordan says “you have these glasses, a helmet, and gloves, I had to hang onto this Chinese guy .... okay I liked that part.” Louie comes out with a guess of 521 and has to wait ten minutes. Michael says it’s “tortuous.” Louie reads the clue again and realizes he forgot to count ALL the statues.
Cord finds his name on a stamp and shoves it in his pocket, not wanting Brent & Caite to know he found one thinking they’d be more motivated. Caite found Cord’s stamp and of course, doesn’t say anything. Brent finds his and says it’s huge, “just like everything else.” Louie comes out with the correct number of statues and off they go on the motorcycles. Brent finds the pig and they get their clue, telling them to find the next Pit Stop, the Riverside Promenade, a park overlooking Shanghai’s waterfront. Jet & Cord find their next stamp and manage to get a cab before Brent & Caite, and Cord tells the driver “rapido” and then shakes his head, saying he doesn’t know any Chinese. They see Brent & Caite trying to find a cab as they take off and hope it will get them ahead.
It looks like a race to the finish as Jet & Cord and Brent & Caite look around the Promenade for Phil and the Mat, and Brent & Caite get there first, where Phil stands with the world’s tallest man. He’s a herdsman from Outer Mongolia and is 7 feet 9 inches tall. Caite decides that she’s proved she’s intelligent. (Good for you, honey!) Jet & Cord are told they’re second, and plan to get a new belt buckle if they win saying “Amazing Race Champs.” (*rolling eyes*)
Dan & Jordan decide to try the Pork Chops and Dan finds Louie’s stamp. Michael & Louie get to the clue box and decide to try Pork Chops also. Dan & Jordan had about 20 minutes on Michael & Louie and Michael is feeling pretty good. Jordan is fussing that “this is impossible” and Dan tells him to stop complaining and keep looking. He doesn’t want to hear excuses. Dan finds his stamp and we see Michael using a flashlight looking at the underside of the glass shelves. Jordan finally finds his stamp and they get their clue and take off. They ask locals for help to find the Pit Stop location and get some girls to come with them to show the way. Michael finds Louie’s stamp and Louie finally finds Michael’s as Dan & Jordan take off in a cab. The Detectives can only hope that the Brothers get a bad cab, and it seems like they do - they say that their cabbie may not know where he’s going. “He seems to lack any real motivation to help us.” It looks as if both the cabs show up very close together, and we see both teams looking for Phil all over the Promenade. It’s Dan & Jordan who make it to the Mat in third and are told that they’re in the finals. Jordan says Dan is an unbelievable brother and they’re going to win the million dollars. Phil has to tell Michael & Louie that they’re out of the Race. Michael says there’s no one he’d rather do the Race with, and Louie says there were a couple of instances when they had to share a full-sized bed.
So it’s models Brent & Caite, cowboys Jet & Cord, and brothers Dan & Jordan in the finals for the million bucks. Who’s got the best shot? Are the models smart enough? Are the cowboys tough enough? Are the brothers determined enough? We’ll find out next week!
As the teams leave, we hear that Jet was hit on the side of the head by a hoof and ended up with a crushed skull - they weren’t sure he was going to make it. Cord stayed at his hospital bed the entire time. Cord says Jet is the strongest guy he knows, and that gives them a good shot at winning the Race. They take off and the clue tells them to find the Garden Bridge, which locals know only by its Chinese name (and they didn’t put it up on the screen and I have no clue what Phil said!) They ask some locals, and finally find one who directs them to the Park Bridge.
Brent & Caite leave next, and Caite says she still gets negative comments from her stupid answer in the Teen USA pageant. If she finishes in the final three it will “show the world that I can accomplish anything I put my mind to.” Except that her mind isn’t all there, so....
Jet & Cord get to the destination they were told to go to and see nothing with the Race colors, so they decide to find out from someone else. Brent & Caite get lucky and find a local to search it on her phone, and she finds out it is called Waibaidu Qiao. She writes a note and tells them to go by taxi. Jet & Cord ask a taxi driver who tells them he can get them there, then once moving tells them he doesn’t know where the address is.
Dan & Jordan are leaving and Dan says he did the Race just for Jordan’s dream (like we haven’t heard that 100 times already) but now he wants to win it for himself too. They also can’t find anyone who knows where the Garden Bridge is.
Brent & Caite reach the clue box, and their clue says they must go to the Longhua Temple for their next clue - but they cannot travel by taxi. Jet & Cord get there shortly behind. Brent & Caite get a map of the bus routes and she decides they have to take Route 3, and the bus driver confirms it. Caite says that “obviously I know how to read maps....and in China. So you people can go screw yourselves.” (I’m impressed). Jet & Cord ask their cab driver the best way to get to the Temple and he tells them by train, and the station is a kilometer away. Dan & Jordan meet a local and ask him about the Garden Bridge, and he’s Mr. Clueless. Dan has decided he hates China and will never be back because of the language barrier. Two hours after their start, they still have no idea where they’re going so they decide to go back and team up with Michael & Louie. Their strategy is never to be alone and in last place - and with Michael & Louie having a Speed Bump, this would allow Dan & Jordan to go ahead. Michael & Louie think they’ve “caught up” to Dan & Jordan after walking a bit from the Pit Stop, although they have to feel better about being close to another team. They go up to a higher point, and Michael uses his little telescope to see if he can find the Garden Bridge. Because he’s a detective, he can see things better than most people (don’t think it’s going to help you here, buddy!)
Brent & Caite get to the Temple and the clue box. It’s a Roadblock. Phil explains that the word “Arhat” means “one who has attained enlightenment.” The teams must count all the golden statues in the Arhat Hall (523). If they’re correct, they get a clue - if not, they must wait ten minutes before guessing again. Caite will attempt the task and tells Brent to leave her alone while she counts. Brent says this is a good task to show everyone that Caite is more intelligent than everyone thinks. (I’m thinking she’s gonna do something incredibly stupid this leg of the Race...otherwise what’s all this talk about Caite not being as stupid as we know she is?) Her first guess of 520 is wrong.
Michael & Louie and Dan & Jordan spot some jackets hanging on a street sign and decide maybe the clues are in the pockets. After poking through them they find they’re wrong - and I think they’re lucky they didn’t get arrested for going through someone’s pockets (although they were hanging on a public street sign). Jet & Cord are still walking and haven’t found the train station. Ciate guesses again, this time 522. So much for showing people how smart you are!
Michael asks to borrow a cell phone and calls the translation number. The phone number is in every cab and when one has problems telling the cab driver where to go because of the language barrier, they will find out in English and tell the taxi driver in Chinese. He gives the phone to a cab driver and Dan & Jordan tell their cab to follow Michael & Louie’s cab. Dan & Jordan are having fits because their driver isn’t following the other cab close enough, and the front cab gets through a light and they’re stuck behind. Louie comments how it’s nice to have the boys with them, and Michael looks back and says “they’re not with us any more.” Dan & Jordan are practically trying to crawl in the front seat of the cab, telling the driver to follow the green cab, and not getting anywhere.
Caite says the statutes started blending together into one big gold statue after awhile. She guesses 524 this time. Jet & Cord get to the Temple and pass right by Brent as they look for the clue box. They finally find it and Cord is the one who will attempt the count.
Dan & Jordan manage to catch up to Michael & Louie’s cab at the bridge and get the clue. Back at the Temple, Cord notices that there are two statutes standing up, not of Buddha, but re-reading the clue he sees he must count “all the gold statues.” He figures he should count those too, and it turns out that he’s correct and gets his clue. Caite comes out just behind him and manages to have the right answer as well, finally. The clue tells them they must choose a motorcycle and ride it to the Yuyuan Gardens and find their next clue. One team member rides on the back of the bike and the other in the sidecar. Jet laughs that riding in a motorcycle through China was something for a country boy like him, from a town with one stop light.
The Brothers and the Detectives go to a hotel and ask how to get to the Temple and are told how to get to the bus stop. Michael says if they were going by taxi they would ditch the Brothers and go on their way. Brent & Caite and Jet & Cord are having problems finding the Gardens, and Caite is being accosted by vendors asking if they want to buy things, and being snotty about it. Jet & Cord find the clue box and it's a Detour: Pork Chops or Pork Dumplings. For Pork Chops, they must go to a store which sells elaborate carved stamps, which are called “chops.” They must find a stamp with a pig and one with their name and turn them in for their next clue. In Pork Dumpling, teams go to a restaurant and pick up ten orders of dumplings and make their way through the market to deliver them to get their clue. Jet & Cord decide on Pork Chops and find the store rather easily and start looking through the stamps as Brent & Caite find the clue and pick the same task. Brent can’t even concentrate because he has to go to the bathroom really bad. Caite tells him to “just go” and Brent says Caite can’t look while he’s in the bathroom, so Caite tells him to just hold it. He tries to convince her to go with him to the rest room and she says “I’m not going anywhere.” (Nice girlfriend. Although that’s what got the female basketball players eliminated a couple seasons ago, when one of them had to stop to pee.)
The other two teams get to the Temple and Michael & Louie get their Speed Bump. They will have to perform a local good luck ritual by tossing a coin into an incense burner. They’ll be able to continue from there “hopefully with enough good luck to make up the time.” The incense burner is right by the Temple so they don't have to go far. Louie gets his coin in pretty quickly. Dan is the one who attempts the counting and Michael & Louie make short work of the coin toss and join the Brothers at the Temple to count statues. Louie is a “mathematical genius” and he’ll kick butt, according to Michael - and Jordan asks “so you’re calling my brother stupid?” Back at the stamp store, Brent is still complaining about needing to go to the bathroom, and not looking for stamps at all, telling Caite if they went to the bathroom he would be able to help. They started arguing and finally went down the hall to the bathroom.
Dan decided the best way to do things is to take your time and it would be done right, and gets it right on the first attempt. Michael is bummed as he watches them leave. They take off on the motorcycle and Jordan says “you have these glasses, a helmet, and gloves, I had to hang onto this Chinese guy .... okay I liked that part.” Louie comes out with a guess of 521 and has to wait ten minutes. Michael says it’s “tortuous.” Louie reads the clue again and realizes he forgot to count ALL the statues.
Cord finds his name on a stamp and shoves it in his pocket, not wanting Brent & Caite to know he found one thinking they’d be more motivated. Caite found Cord’s stamp and of course, doesn’t say anything. Brent finds his and says it’s huge, “just like everything else.” Louie comes out with the correct number of statues and off they go on the motorcycles. Brent finds the pig and they get their clue, telling them to find the next Pit Stop, the Riverside Promenade, a park overlooking Shanghai’s waterfront. Jet & Cord find their next stamp and manage to get a cab before Brent & Caite, and Cord tells the driver “rapido” and then shakes his head, saying he doesn’t know any Chinese. They see Brent & Caite trying to find a cab as they take off and hope it will get them ahead.
It looks like a race to the finish as Jet & Cord and Brent & Caite look around the Promenade for Phil and the Mat, and Brent & Caite get there first, where Phil stands with the world’s tallest man. He’s a herdsman from Outer Mongolia and is 7 feet 9 inches tall. Caite decides that she’s proved she’s intelligent. (Good for you, honey!) Jet & Cord are told they’re second, and plan to get a new belt buckle if they win saying “Amazing Race Champs.” (*rolling eyes*)
Dan & Jordan decide to try the Pork Chops and Dan finds Louie’s stamp. Michael & Louie get to the clue box and decide to try Pork Chops also. Dan & Jordan had about 20 minutes on Michael & Louie and Michael is feeling pretty good. Jordan is fussing that “this is impossible” and Dan tells him to stop complaining and keep looking. He doesn’t want to hear excuses. Dan finds his stamp and we see Michael using a flashlight looking at the underside of the glass shelves. Jordan finally finds his stamp and they get their clue and take off. They ask locals for help to find the Pit Stop location and get some girls to come with them to show the way. Michael finds Louie’s stamp and Louie finally finds Michael’s as Dan & Jordan take off in a cab. The Detectives can only hope that the Brothers get a bad cab, and it seems like they do - they say that their cabbie may not know where he’s going. “He seems to lack any real motivation to help us.” It looks as if both the cabs show up very close together, and we see both teams looking for Phil all over the Promenade. It’s Dan & Jordan who make it to the Mat in third and are told that they’re in the finals. Jordan says Dan is an unbelievable brother and they’re going to win the million dollars. Phil has to tell Michael & Louie that they’re out of the Race. Michael says there’s no one he’d rather do the Race with, and Louie says there were a couple of instances when they had to share a full-sized bed.
So it’s models Brent & Caite, cowboys Jet & Cord, and brothers Dan & Jordan in the finals for the million bucks. Who’s got the best shot? Are the models smart enough? Are the cowboys tough enough? Are the brothers determined enough? We’ll find out next week!
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Noodles in the Cold and Puzzles on a Windy Day
Four teams left in the Race! They all leave from Singapore for the 10th leg. Dan & Jordan leave first, flying to Shanghai, China. They will have to taxi to the town of Zhujiajiao, which is the “Venice of China.” They will take gondola boats to their next clue box. Brent & Caite leave next, and Caite is happy she’s the last girl standing. Jet has a wife and a 17-month-old child, and Cord got engaged before he left, so they’re a little homesick. All the teams meet up at the airport and get to hear Caite tell the gripping story of how she U-Turned Carol & Brandy. (It was mesmerizing, I tell you!) Dan & Jordan interviewed that it was a stupid decision and based on personal reasons, and that Jet & Cord are much stronger competitors and they should have been the ones to be U-Turned. The first flight leaves at 12:55 a.m. and they’re all on the same flight.
Everyone grabs a taxi out of the airport - Michael & Louie get one that understands no English, and they’re following Dan & Jordan, whose cab stops to confer with Michael & Louie’s driver. Jet & Cord get to Zhujiajiao and Jet leaves his backpack in the cab (Cord takes his along, seems like the smarter move. I wouldn’t leave my worldly belongings unless I was positive I was coming back!) Brent & Caite get to the gondolas first and float down the channel. Brent, rocket scientist that he is, says he feels like he’s in “Sicily.” (Really, just get yourself a lobotomy and get it over with already!) Jet interviews that it was a “tranquil” ride and Cord has to have him explain the meaning of the word. (Brent & Caite are rubbing off on him!) In the meantime, Michael & Louie and Dan & Jordan are stuck with cabbies who cannot speak English and are lost. Michael says that he spoke to someone on the plane who said that 1/3 of the people speak English “But we met the other 2/3 right away in China.”
Brent & Caite get to the clue box first and the clue is a Roadblock. Phil tells us that noodles have been an important staple of China for 2000 years. They will have to go to a noodle house and learn how to make noodles by hand. Once they’ve made 1 kilo of noodles, the smallest man in the world, He Pingping, will give them their next clue. Caite thinks he’s “adorable” and Brent says he’s as large as Brent’s foot to knee. Caite and Jet start making noodles, and we see Dan & Jordan and Michael & Louie bemoaning their fates with the lousy cab drivers. They end up in some deserted place and find someone who speaks English and tells the drivers where to go. Jet realizes that sprinkling flour keeps the noodles from clumping and seems to be making good headway. The little guy has a cigarette in his mouth and it looks the size of a cannon. Caite is having mega problems with her noodles, and Brent says he’ll never ask to her make some homemade spaghetti. (*eyes rolling*) Jordan volunteers and Louie says he used to help his grandmother make pasta. (Kiss of death, I bet!) Jet is doing great and gets his pasta done, with “gentle hands” according to Jordan. Caite’s noodles keep clumping and she keeps getting “no, no” from the local in charge. In the cab, the Cowboys talk about the little guy’s cigarette, and say “apparently smoking will stunt your growth.” Louie gets 15 grams of good noodles and says “my Grandma is probably turning over in her grave right now.” The Cowboys luckily can go back to their cab so Jet is safe this time. Their clue tells them to go into the fashion house and work together. They will choose a model who has a sketch of a design. They will have to find all the pieces of the outfit from the many racks, and if the model is dressed correctly, they will get their next clue. They start looking through the racks...
And Caite finishes her noodles. Jordan is complaining that his hands are freezing and he’s not going quickly at all. Louie gets a big clump and Jordan asks “how did you do that?” Louie yells “it’s because I’m Italian!”
We see Cord seeing a model with a shirt that looks like his sketch and asks the model if he can have her shirt. (Had she understood English, he may have gotten clobbered). As their model gets dressed, they banter about how fashion conscious they are. Louie finishes his noodles and they yell “good luck” to Jordan as they take off. Jordan gets another clump of noodles done but he’s far from finishing and is getting upset. Dan goes over and gives his brother a hug and a pep talk, telling him “I know how hard this is, but you’re doing great.” You know Jordan’s hands are freezing, because we can see everyone’s breath. Jet & Cord find out their model is dressed incorrectly and go to pick another shirt, which is the right one so they get their next clue, which tells them to go to Hongkou Stadium for their next clue. Brent & Caite then get to the fashion house and Caite thinks it’s funny that they’re usually the ones getting dressed, not picking the fashions. Michael & Louie get their clue (which is right in front of the fashion house) and go wandering off looking for the building. Jordan finally gets done with his noodles and off the Brothers go to find the next clue box. Caite, after hating Carol & Brandy the whole Race for talking about a tiara, asks the model if she needs her tiara to help her change clothes.
Jet & Cord get to the Stadium and find another Roadblock. This is a first, having two Roadblocks on one Race - and the person who didn’t do the first Roadblock has to do this one. And Phil tells us “It won’t be easy.” They will have to take 96 cards and build a puzzle with them, working off of a little picture. They will then give the cards to people in the stands, and once the cards are flipped over, it will give a seat number where their next clue is hidden. Cord started laying the pieces out and says they all look alike. Jet says that Cord isn’t talented in everything, but he makes up for it in “try” and he’s glad Cord is his teammate. Brent & Caite get their model dressed correctly and head to the Stadium. Michael & Louie finally wander back to the correct place and laugh “what kind of detectives are we?” As they get their clothes together, Dan & Jordan walk in and Michael says “being a gay male, this is right up Jordan’s alley.” Michael & Louie are wrong and Michael yells “can we have a shooting challenge please?” They find out they’re wrong again. Dan & Jordan are wrong, also, and they realize that each model is wearing the other’s stockings. Michael & Louie’s model gets dressed first and they take off with Dan & Jordan right behind them. Michael complains that he’d like a challenge where they could “kick a door in” or “chase a crackhead.” Brent is making good headway over Cord, and the wind kicks up and starts blowing their pieces away. Cord starts taking clothes off to hold down his pieces, throwing his jacket and hat and shirt on top of them, then laying on them till the wind quits. Brent is getting pretty ticked and starts yelling to Caite “I was halfway done.” Cord interviews that “having a fit and kicking and screaming isn’t going to help.” The teams are using their backpacks to hold down the pieces as they build the puzzle. Cord gets done and passes out his pieces and they’re correct, because the readable answer is Section 20, Row 16, Seat 33 and there’s the clue! The clue tells them to go to the Shanghai Science & Technology Museum, which is the Pit Stop on this leg of the Race. Dan is building the puzzle like his Dad used to, getting the corners and border first, then the middle. Brent finally gets done and finds his clue. Michael is looking through the individual pieces trying to find them one by one, and getting fixated on finding one piece.
Jet & Cord make it to the Mat first, and poor Phil looks freezing. Speaking of which, the Cowboy brothers win a trip to Alaska. They’ve won three trips so far, and they both say they’re not going with each other. Brent & Caite are second to the Mat. The crowds at the Stadium are cheering their puzzle makers on, and Dan finishes his puzzle and runs off to get his clue. Michael is bumming and “not seeing this.” He’s not giving up, though. Dan & Jordan get to the Mat in third, and Jordan thinks the girls with Phil are cute. Michael is taking so long that the lights are on at the stadium. Louie says he’s sad, but he’s proud of his partner and gives Michael a hug after he finishes. They get to the Mat last, and Phil tells them that “you are the last team to arrive, and you are out.” (This gave me the hint that this was a non-elimination leg, or else the show just became Project Runway.) Phil smiles and says “...in the cold!” and tells them while they have a Speed Bump next leg, they’re still in the Race. He tells Louie, “don’t make me eliminate you.”
The show ends with “In memory of He Pingping.” The little guy obviously died, and after looking him up on Wikipedia, I found this:
He Pingping was, according to the Guinness World Records, the world's shortest man who was able to walk. He was admitted to a hospital on March 3,2010 in Rome, Italy after complaining of chest pains. He died on March 13, 2010 of heart complications. The Guinness World Records editor-in-chief, Craig Glenday, said that he was "an inspiration to anyone considered different or unusual." He measured 74 cm (2 ft 5 in) tall, and was the third child of a family in Huade county, in the city of Ulanqab in northern China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. He had two sisters, one who stands at 7 feet tall. According to his father, He Yun, at birth He Pingping was small enough to fit in the palm of his parents' hands. When it became apparent the child was growing very slowly, doctors diagnosed the cause as the bone deformity osteogenesis imperfecta, which hinders normal bone growth and body height. His name "Pingping" means wine bottle. He was a chain smoker.
So here are the standings, getting pretty darn close to the end:
1 - Jet & Cord
2 - Brent & Caite
3 - Dan & Jordan
4 - Michael & Louie
So there is one more show before the finale on May 9th. Who will our last three teams be? They all seem capable (as long as there are no tasks needing brains for Brent & Caite).
Everyone grabs a taxi out of the airport - Michael & Louie get one that understands no English, and they’re following Dan & Jordan, whose cab stops to confer with Michael & Louie’s driver. Jet & Cord get to Zhujiajiao and Jet leaves his backpack in the cab (Cord takes his along, seems like the smarter move. I wouldn’t leave my worldly belongings unless I was positive I was coming back!) Brent & Caite get to the gondolas first and float down the channel. Brent, rocket scientist that he is, says he feels like he’s in “Sicily.” (Really, just get yourself a lobotomy and get it over with already!) Jet interviews that it was a “tranquil” ride and Cord has to have him explain the meaning of the word. (Brent & Caite are rubbing off on him!) In the meantime, Michael & Louie and Dan & Jordan are stuck with cabbies who cannot speak English and are lost. Michael says that he spoke to someone on the plane who said that 1/3 of the people speak English “But we met the other 2/3 right away in China.”
Brent & Caite get to the clue box first and the clue is a Roadblock. Phil tells us that noodles have been an important staple of China for 2000 years. They will have to go to a noodle house and learn how to make noodles by hand. Once they’ve made 1 kilo of noodles, the smallest man in the world, He Pingping, will give them their next clue. Caite thinks he’s “adorable” and Brent says he’s as large as Brent’s foot to knee. Caite and Jet start making noodles, and we see Dan & Jordan and Michael & Louie bemoaning their fates with the lousy cab drivers. They end up in some deserted place and find someone who speaks English and tells the drivers where to go. Jet realizes that sprinkling flour keeps the noodles from clumping and seems to be making good headway. The little guy has a cigarette in his mouth and it looks the size of a cannon. Caite is having mega problems with her noodles, and Brent says he’ll never ask to her make some homemade spaghetti. (*eyes rolling*) Jordan volunteers and Louie says he used to help his grandmother make pasta. (Kiss of death, I bet!) Jet is doing great and gets his pasta done, with “gentle hands” according to Jordan. Caite’s noodles keep clumping and she keeps getting “no, no” from the local in charge. In the cab, the Cowboys talk about the little guy’s cigarette, and say “apparently smoking will stunt your growth.” Louie gets 15 grams of good noodles and says “my Grandma is probably turning over in her grave right now.” The Cowboys luckily can go back to their cab so Jet is safe this time. Their clue tells them to go into the fashion house and work together. They will choose a model who has a sketch of a design. They will have to find all the pieces of the outfit from the many racks, and if the model is dressed correctly, they will get their next clue. They start looking through the racks...
And Caite finishes her noodles. Jordan is complaining that his hands are freezing and he’s not going quickly at all. Louie gets a big clump and Jordan asks “how did you do that?” Louie yells “it’s because I’m Italian!”
We see Cord seeing a model with a shirt that looks like his sketch and asks the model if he can have her shirt. (Had she understood English, he may have gotten clobbered). As their model gets dressed, they banter about how fashion conscious they are. Louie finishes his noodles and they yell “good luck” to Jordan as they take off. Jordan gets another clump of noodles done but he’s far from finishing and is getting upset. Dan goes over and gives his brother a hug and a pep talk, telling him “I know how hard this is, but you’re doing great.” You know Jordan’s hands are freezing, because we can see everyone’s breath. Jet & Cord find out their model is dressed incorrectly and go to pick another shirt, which is the right one so they get their next clue, which tells them to go to Hongkou Stadium for their next clue. Brent & Caite then get to the fashion house and Caite thinks it’s funny that they’re usually the ones getting dressed, not picking the fashions. Michael & Louie get their clue (which is right in front of the fashion house) and go wandering off looking for the building. Jordan finally gets done with his noodles and off the Brothers go to find the next clue box. Caite, after hating Carol & Brandy the whole Race for talking about a tiara, asks the model if she needs her tiara to help her change clothes.
Jet & Cord get to the Stadium and find another Roadblock. This is a first, having two Roadblocks on one Race - and the person who didn’t do the first Roadblock has to do this one. And Phil tells us “It won’t be easy.” They will have to take 96 cards and build a puzzle with them, working off of a little picture. They will then give the cards to people in the stands, and once the cards are flipped over, it will give a seat number where their next clue is hidden. Cord started laying the pieces out and says they all look alike. Jet says that Cord isn’t talented in everything, but he makes up for it in “try” and he’s glad Cord is his teammate. Brent & Caite get their model dressed correctly and head to the Stadium. Michael & Louie finally wander back to the correct place and laugh “what kind of detectives are we?” As they get their clothes together, Dan & Jordan walk in and Michael says “being a gay male, this is right up Jordan’s alley.” Michael & Louie are wrong and Michael yells “can we have a shooting challenge please?” They find out they’re wrong again. Dan & Jordan are wrong, also, and they realize that each model is wearing the other’s stockings. Michael & Louie’s model gets dressed first and they take off with Dan & Jordan right behind them. Michael complains that he’d like a challenge where they could “kick a door in” or “chase a crackhead.” Brent is making good headway over Cord, and the wind kicks up and starts blowing their pieces away. Cord starts taking clothes off to hold down his pieces, throwing his jacket and hat and shirt on top of them, then laying on them till the wind quits. Brent is getting pretty ticked and starts yelling to Caite “I was halfway done.” Cord interviews that “having a fit and kicking and screaming isn’t going to help.” The teams are using their backpacks to hold down the pieces as they build the puzzle. Cord gets done and passes out his pieces and they’re correct, because the readable answer is Section 20, Row 16, Seat 33 and there’s the clue! The clue tells them to go to the Shanghai Science & Technology Museum, which is the Pit Stop on this leg of the Race. Dan is building the puzzle like his Dad used to, getting the corners and border first, then the middle. Brent finally gets done and finds his clue. Michael is looking through the individual pieces trying to find them one by one, and getting fixated on finding one piece.
Jet & Cord make it to the Mat first, and poor Phil looks freezing. Speaking of which, the Cowboy brothers win a trip to Alaska. They’ve won three trips so far, and they both say they’re not going with each other. Brent & Caite are second to the Mat. The crowds at the Stadium are cheering their puzzle makers on, and Dan finishes his puzzle and runs off to get his clue. Michael is bumming and “not seeing this.” He’s not giving up, though. Dan & Jordan get to the Mat in third, and Jordan thinks the girls with Phil are cute. Michael is taking so long that the lights are on at the stadium. Louie says he’s sad, but he’s proud of his partner and gives Michael a hug after he finishes. They get to the Mat last, and Phil tells them that “you are the last team to arrive, and you are out.” (This gave me the hint that this was a non-elimination leg, or else the show just became Project Runway.) Phil smiles and says “...in the cold!” and tells them while they have a Speed Bump next leg, they’re still in the Race. He tells Louie, “don’t make me eliminate you.”
The show ends with “In memory of He Pingping.” The little guy obviously died, and after looking him up on Wikipedia, I found this:
He Pingping was, according to the Guinness World Records, the world's shortest man who was able to walk. He was admitted to a hospital on March 3,2010 in Rome, Italy after complaining of chest pains. He died on March 13, 2010 of heart complications. The Guinness World Records editor-in-chief, Craig Glenday, said that he was "an inspiration to anyone considered different or unusual." He measured 74 cm (2 ft 5 in) tall, and was the third child of a family in Huade county, in the city of Ulanqab in northern China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. He had two sisters, one who stands at 7 feet tall. According to his father, He Yun, at birth He Pingping was small enough to fit in the palm of his parents' hands. When it became apparent the child was growing very slowly, doctors diagnosed the cause as the bone deformity osteogenesis imperfecta, which hinders normal bone growth and body height. His name "Pingping" means wine bottle. He was a chain smoker.
So here are the standings, getting pretty darn close to the end:
1 - Jet & Cord
2 - Brent & Caite
3 - Dan & Jordan
4 - Michael & Louie
So there is one more show before the finale on May 9th. Who will our last three teams be? They all seem capable (as long as there are no tasks needing brains for Brent & Caite).
Monday, April 12, 2010
Brent & Caite Don't Have to Worry About Those Mean Lesbians Any More! And the World is Right...
Many apologies for being late ... I didn't set my TiVo to tape longer and TAR started late, and the ending got chopped! Had to wait to watch the end online today....
The teams begin in Malaysia at a 100-year-old mansion. Jet & Cord leave at 10:02 a.m. They will travel by bus and train to Singapore to the Victoria Concert Hall and look for Allan Wu, who is the host of the Asian version of the Amazing Race, to get their clue. Carol & Brandy leave next, and their clue warns them that a U-Turn is on this Leg of the Race. (Uh-oh, will Caite get her wish to U-Turn Carol & Brandy?) They talk about working well together, which is a big turnaround from the way they started. Jet & Cord manage to get the first bus out of town. Dan & Jordan tell us they decided at the beginning of the Race that they wouldn’t “throw elbows” and they want people to like them. They end up on the bus with Brent & Caite and Michael & Louie, and ask who they would most want to U-Turn. Michael says “the girls, because they’re the most world-traveled.” Caite says they’re going to U-Turn the lesbians, and Dan asks if it’s because they’re lesbians (yay Dan - make her think! Oops, we’re talking about Caite, right? Sorry), and Caite says “no, it’s because they’re mean to me.”
Jet & Cord get to the train station and find out the train doesn’t leave until 9:30 p.m., and realize that all teams will be on the same train. On the train, Dan sees that it's not the cleanest, and uses a disinfectant wipe and is surprised at the filth on it. The train has no seats (at least where our teams are) but has sleeping bunks. As the train gets close to their destination, Michael & Louie and Brent & Caite are standing in the aisle as Carol & Brandy try to get through to get closer to an exit, but they stubbornly refuse to move to let them by. Brent says “ladies get through, bitches don’t.” (My, isn’t he obnoxious! Totally uncalled for. Then cosmic justice as Caite falls flat on her face outside the train station.) Jet & Cord and Brent & Caite have problems getting a cab outside of the train station, and Jet & Cord have the most trouble and end up leaving last. At the concert hall, the teams end up running inside looking for Allan Wu, but Dan & Jordan stay outside and find him relaxing and reading a paper and get their clue.
The Singapore Flyer is a giant ferris wheel (although Phil says it’s the “tallest observation wheel in the world,” and will be the Fast Forward on this Race. The team who attempts it will wait until their car is at the top (541 feet up), then have to leave it and walk across to another car next to it, then they’ll get the “Fast Forward Award” which will probably say “go to the Pit Stop.” Dan & Jordan decide to go for it, and it turns out to be a great move.
Michael & Louie go outside to look for Allan Wu as Jet & Cord show up, and the two teams get their clue as Brent & Caite and Carol & Brandy look through the building inside for Mr. Wu. The clue from Mr. Wu is a Detour, which entails an ethnic challenge - Pounding the Drums, or a more modern one: Pounding the Pavement. For Pounding the Drums, teams must go to Speakers’ Corner and learn a routine on traditional drums. Their drum teacher will let them know when they are ready and they will have to perform it correctly to get their clue. (And all I can see with this challenge are young, cute kids, so this may be interesting!) For Pounding the Pavement, the teams must go to a pedestrian mall (read outdoor square) and pick up supplies and 10 boxes of ice cream. They must then sell 25 ice cream sandwiches which they will make with wafers or bread (ick! Ice cream sandwiches with white bread?) - and ice cream - and the “ice cream uncle” will give them their clue.
All the teams except for Dan & Jordan head off for Pounding the Drums. Jet & Cord have problems getting the beat down but are having fun and laughing, and Michael & Louie aren’t doing much better. Carol & Brandy get a very young man and he’s not counting, so they go off to find another drum teacher who will count. Michael & Louie realize they’re way in over their heads (Michael says “I’m white as white can be - I have no rhythm.”) and decide to go try the Fast Forward - thinking that Dan & Jordan went to sell ice cream. Jordan gets to the giant wheel and finds out he has to wear a harness, and realizes that he’s not thrilled about the challenge. As they go up, Jordan tells Dan “maybe this is a good time to tell you I’ve discovered I have an intense fear of heights.” Michael & Louie get there and ask the elevator lady if Dan & Jordan are there already, and she says “you’ll find out when you get up there.” They’re bummed they can’t find out first. They get up to the floor and see a sign saying “Fast Forward in progress” and decide to go sell ice cream. As they get back to their taxi, they can’t find their driver - he’s in the bathroom. They’re bummed again but hey, cabbies gotta pee too!
Jordan is freaking out as they get to the top and Dan, ever the great brother, says “hey if you fall and die I love you.” We see Jordan getting out of the car and shaking as he crawls across. He keeps repeating "This is for a million dollars." I don’t see why he’s that scared - he’s all harnessed up and I’m sure the release they sign at the beginning of the Race doesn’t cover death from a challenge!
Back at the drums, Brent is having problems, and Jet & Cord aren’t doing all that well either. Carol & Brandy debate whether they can “get it” or not. Back at the wheel, Jordan gets to the other car and says that is the scariest thing he’s ever done, and he’s surprised he didn’t pee himself. He says he couldn’t do the Race with anyone but his brother. They finish the task and their clue tells them to go to the Pit Stop, which they can see from their perch - and Jordan says “Phil, we’ll be right there.”
Michael & Louie get their supplies of an umbrella, chairs, and their ice cream and find their cart. Louie yells “buy some ice cream from some crazy Americans!”
Jet & Cord are allowed to go by their teacher and hit the stage, drumming by some puppet-looking things and finding out they're pretty bad. Brent & Caite see Jet & Cord trying and decide they can do it while Jet & Cord go back to practice. Brent & Caite get through the routine and get their clue, which will make them figure out they have to go to Istana Park at the intersection of Penang and Orchard Roads.
Dan & Jordan make it to the Mat and Phil tells them they are team one, each of them winning a motorbike. They tell Phil that they won’t ever get on them, their mother would never let them ride the motorbikes. (What nice boys!)
Brent & Caite get to the clue box and find the U-Turn - which is not anonymous this time, they will have to put their picture on it to let the team know they are the ones doing the U-Turning. And, as Phil says “suffer the consequences of having their identity known.” Brent & Caite will U-Turn the Lesbians, because of a couple of comments about a tiara ‘way back at the beginning of the Race. Brent says “sometimes it is personal” and something tells me they need a bit thicker skin! (I'll have to watch the Elimination Station videos if Brent & Caite get eliminated next - might be some fireworks!) Back at the mall, Michael & Louie are trying their best to sell their ice creams and they convince their cabbie to buy the last ten to get them over the top. Carol & Brandy hit the stage to try their drumming and manage to get their clue...they have a surprise coming! Michael & Louie get dropped off at the intersection and miss the signs and decide they have to go one more block. Carol & Brandy get to the clue box and see they’ve been U-Turned, and say that Caite U-Turned them because Brandy “is prettier than she is.” They say Caite is an idiot, and on U Tube to prove it - “it’s stupid, and let’s face it, she hasn’t built a career on intelligence.” They toss insults Brent & Caite’s way, and end up calling them “Brent & Caite Gump” among other things. Michael & Louie get to the box and see the Lesbians have been U-Turned and say “great job, Brent & Caite.” (Sure, it’s not their ass on the line for the dirty deed!)
Brent & Ciate get to the clue box and it’s a Roadblock. One team member has to work the docks and inspect an enormous anchor chain. They have to count all the links in a chain (521). There is noise, with people banging on iron, someone yapping on a speaker, and Brent is getting aggravated and saying “shut up!” (Like they’re gonna listen to him). Jet & Cord finally finish the drumming and get their clue, while Carol & Brandy are back to sniping at each other as they gather the materials to sell ice cream. (It doesn’t look like they have a cooler for their ice cream, hopefully it isn’t mush by the time they get set up). Michael & Louie say that they “trained their little wolf cubs” and they’re happy that Brent & Caite U-Turned Carol & Brandy, because they convinced everyone that the Lesbians were a bigger threat.
Brent manages to get the correct number of chain links and gets his clue. They have to find Mega Zip on an island for their next clue. Carol & Brandy are barking at everyone to buy their ice cream sandwiches. Michael & Louie get to the docks and Michael will do the challenge - after he gets his pitch counter out of his bag. (I guess he umpires little league games, but what on earth would give him the idea to bring a pitch counter on the Race?) Jet is counting links and Carol & Brandy finish selling ice cream sandwiches and run back to the park.
Brent & Caite get their next clue and find out they have to do a zip line “above a jungle canopy” of Mt. Enbia. Carol & Brandy are still sniping at each other, and at Caite once they get back to the clue box with the U-Turn picture on it. Brent & Caite have a great time on the zip line, and their clue tells them to find the Marina Barrage across town, which is the Pit Stop.
Michael gets the correct number of links, but since he didn’t grab the clipboard, he has to go back and get it and submit his number. Jet goes to the supervisor and gets the number right on his clipboard, and just beats out Michael for the clue. Michael & Louie’s cab had taken off and they try to steal Carol & Brandy’s, telling the driver “they said it was okay” and “they’re very mean, they’ll just be mean to you” but the driver wouldn’t budge. After searching a bit, they offer a woman $20 American money to take her cab, and she accepts.
Brent & Caite find the Mat and Phil, who mentions that they used the U-Turn. Caite gives her whine about how “mean” Carol & Brandy have been to her, and Phil says “looks like they picked on the wrong team.”
Carol & Brandy finish counting (and every team got the right number the first time...I’m surprised!) and find out from their cab driver that the Detectives tried to steal their cab. Jet & Cord are having fun going down the zip lines, and they’re not wearing their hats! I thought a cowboy never takes his hat off, boys! They make it to Phil at the Mat in third place, where Phil teases them about their drumming, saying “I heard it was pathetic.” Jet says “the closest we’ve come to playing a musical instrument is a radio.”
The editors are making it look like Carol & Brandy have a shot at getting ahead of Michael & Louie. They arrive at the park at what looks like pretty much the same time and Carol & Brandy seem to be right on their heels at the zip line. Michael tells Louie he has to step it up and hurry, and Louie, panting all the way, says he’s trying. BUT after the zip line ride, Louie sees the beautiful girl giving out the clues and beats Michael to her - I guess all Michael has to do to get Louie moving faster is to have a gorgeous woman run ahead of him!
Carol & Brandy complain some more about Brent & Caite as they ride toward the Pit Stop, and it looks like they get to the Pit Stop as Michael & Louie do - but Michael & Louie get fourth place and Carol & Brandy are eliminated. Brandy tells Phil “there’s no reason they should have U-Turned us. There were two other teams that did consistently better than us. Dumb did us in.” Carol adds that they’ll get over the bad day and "enjoy the richness of the experience - and then I’ll translate that into first grade language for Caite.”
So, after all the back-and-forth sniping from Carol & Brandy at Brent & Caite, and Brent & Caite at Carol & Brandy, and Carol at Brandy and Brandy at Carol, do you think like I do that Brent & Caite used a tool to their advantage and got rid of a good team? Or should they have U-Turned the Detectives or Cowboys? We’re down to four teams (and one girl) - who’s got the best shot? We’ll find out next week!
The teams begin in Malaysia at a 100-year-old mansion. Jet & Cord leave at 10:02 a.m. They will travel by bus and train to Singapore to the Victoria Concert Hall and look for Allan Wu, who is the host of the Asian version of the Amazing Race, to get their clue. Carol & Brandy leave next, and their clue warns them that a U-Turn is on this Leg of the Race. (Uh-oh, will Caite get her wish to U-Turn Carol & Brandy?) They talk about working well together, which is a big turnaround from the way they started. Jet & Cord manage to get the first bus out of town. Dan & Jordan tell us they decided at the beginning of the Race that they wouldn’t “throw elbows” and they want people to like them. They end up on the bus with Brent & Caite and Michael & Louie, and ask who they would most want to U-Turn. Michael says “the girls, because they’re the most world-traveled.” Caite says they’re going to U-Turn the lesbians, and Dan asks if it’s because they’re lesbians (yay Dan - make her think! Oops, we’re talking about Caite, right? Sorry), and Caite says “no, it’s because they’re mean to me.”
Jet & Cord get to the train station and find out the train doesn’t leave until 9:30 p.m., and realize that all teams will be on the same train. On the train, Dan sees that it's not the cleanest, and uses a disinfectant wipe and is surprised at the filth on it. The train has no seats (at least where our teams are) but has sleeping bunks. As the train gets close to their destination, Michael & Louie and Brent & Caite are standing in the aisle as Carol & Brandy try to get through to get closer to an exit, but they stubbornly refuse to move to let them by. Brent says “ladies get through, bitches don’t.” (My, isn’t he obnoxious! Totally uncalled for. Then cosmic justice as Caite falls flat on her face outside the train station.) Jet & Cord and Brent & Caite have problems getting a cab outside of the train station, and Jet & Cord have the most trouble and end up leaving last. At the concert hall, the teams end up running inside looking for Allan Wu, but Dan & Jordan stay outside and find him relaxing and reading a paper and get their clue.
The Singapore Flyer is a giant ferris wheel (although Phil says it’s the “tallest observation wheel in the world,” and will be the Fast Forward on this Race. The team who attempts it will wait until their car is at the top (541 feet up), then have to leave it and walk across to another car next to it, then they’ll get the “Fast Forward Award” which will probably say “go to the Pit Stop.” Dan & Jordan decide to go for it, and it turns out to be a great move.
Michael & Louie go outside to look for Allan Wu as Jet & Cord show up, and the two teams get their clue as Brent & Caite and Carol & Brandy look through the building inside for Mr. Wu. The clue from Mr. Wu is a Detour, which entails an ethnic challenge - Pounding the Drums, or a more modern one: Pounding the Pavement. For Pounding the Drums, teams must go to Speakers’ Corner and learn a routine on traditional drums. Their drum teacher will let them know when they are ready and they will have to perform it correctly to get their clue. (And all I can see with this challenge are young, cute kids, so this may be interesting!) For Pounding the Pavement, the teams must go to a pedestrian mall (read outdoor square) and pick up supplies and 10 boxes of ice cream. They must then sell 25 ice cream sandwiches which they will make with wafers or bread (ick! Ice cream sandwiches with white bread?) - and ice cream - and the “ice cream uncle” will give them their clue.
All the teams except for Dan & Jordan head off for Pounding the Drums. Jet & Cord have problems getting the beat down but are having fun and laughing, and Michael & Louie aren’t doing much better. Carol & Brandy get a very young man and he’s not counting, so they go off to find another drum teacher who will count. Michael & Louie realize they’re way in over their heads (Michael says “I’m white as white can be - I have no rhythm.”) and decide to go try the Fast Forward - thinking that Dan & Jordan went to sell ice cream. Jordan gets to the giant wheel and finds out he has to wear a harness, and realizes that he’s not thrilled about the challenge. As they go up, Jordan tells Dan “maybe this is a good time to tell you I’ve discovered I have an intense fear of heights.” Michael & Louie get there and ask the elevator lady if Dan & Jordan are there already, and she says “you’ll find out when you get up there.” They’re bummed they can’t find out first. They get up to the floor and see a sign saying “Fast Forward in progress” and decide to go sell ice cream. As they get back to their taxi, they can’t find their driver - he’s in the bathroom. They’re bummed again but hey, cabbies gotta pee too!
Jordan is freaking out as they get to the top and Dan, ever the great brother, says “hey if you fall and die I love you.” We see Jordan getting out of the car and shaking as he crawls across. He keeps repeating "This is for a million dollars." I don’t see why he’s that scared - he’s all harnessed up and I’m sure the release they sign at the beginning of the Race doesn’t cover death from a challenge!
Back at the drums, Brent is having problems, and Jet & Cord aren’t doing all that well either. Carol & Brandy debate whether they can “get it” or not. Back at the wheel, Jordan gets to the other car and says that is the scariest thing he’s ever done, and he’s surprised he didn’t pee himself. He says he couldn’t do the Race with anyone but his brother. They finish the task and their clue tells them to go to the Pit Stop, which they can see from their perch - and Jordan says “Phil, we’ll be right there.”
Michael & Louie get their supplies of an umbrella, chairs, and their ice cream and find their cart. Louie yells “buy some ice cream from some crazy Americans!”
Jet & Cord are allowed to go by their teacher and hit the stage, drumming by some puppet-looking things and finding out they're pretty bad. Brent & Caite see Jet & Cord trying and decide they can do it while Jet & Cord go back to practice. Brent & Caite get through the routine and get their clue, which will make them figure out they have to go to Istana Park at the intersection of Penang and Orchard Roads.
Dan & Jordan make it to the Mat and Phil tells them they are team one, each of them winning a motorbike. They tell Phil that they won’t ever get on them, their mother would never let them ride the motorbikes. (What nice boys!)
Brent & Caite get to the clue box and find the U-Turn - which is not anonymous this time, they will have to put their picture on it to let the team know they are the ones doing the U-Turning. And, as Phil says “suffer the consequences of having their identity known.” Brent & Caite will U-Turn the Lesbians, because of a couple of comments about a tiara ‘way back at the beginning of the Race. Brent says “sometimes it is personal” and something tells me they need a bit thicker skin! (I'll have to watch the Elimination Station videos if Brent & Caite get eliminated next - might be some fireworks!) Back at the mall, Michael & Louie are trying their best to sell their ice creams and they convince their cabbie to buy the last ten to get them over the top. Carol & Brandy hit the stage to try their drumming and manage to get their clue...they have a surprise coming! Michael & Louie get dropped off at the intersection and miss the signs and decide they have to go one more block. Carol & Brandy get to the clue box and see they’ve been U-Turned, and say that Caite U-Turned them because Brandy “is prettier than she is.” They say Caite is an idiot, and on U Tube to prove it - “it’s stupid, and let’s face it, she hasn’t built a career on intelligence.” They toss insults Brent & Caite’s way, and end up calling them “Brent & Caite Gump” among other things. Michael & Louie get to the box and see the Lesbians have been U-Turned and say “great job, Brent & Caite.” (Sure, it’s not their ass on the line for the dirty deed!)
Brent & Ciate get to the clue box and it’s a Roadblock. One team member has to work the docks and inspect an enormous anchor chain. They have to count all the links in a chain (521). There is noise, with people banging on iron, someone yapping on a speaker, and Brent is getting aggravated and saying “shut up!” (Like they’re gonna listen to him). Jet & Cord finally finish the drumming and get their clue, while Carol & Brandy are back to sniping at each other as they gather the materials to sell ice cream. (It doesn’t look like they have a cooler for their ice cream, hopefully it isn’t mush by the time they get set up). Michael & Louie say that they “trained their little wolf cubs” and they’re happy that Brent & Caite U-Turned Carol & Brandy, because they convinced everyone that the Lesbians were a bigger threat.
Brent manages to get the correct number of chain links and gets his clue. They have to find Mega Zip on an island for their next clue. Carol & Brandy are barking at everyone to buy their ice cream sandwiches. Michael & Louie get to the docks and Michael will do the challenge - after he gets his pitch counter out of his bag. (I guess he umpires little league games, but what on earth would give him the idea to bring a pitch counter on the Race?) Jet is counting links and Carol & Brandy finish selling ice cream sandwiches and run back to the park.
Brent & Caite get their next clue and find out they have to do a zip line “above a jungle canopy” of Mt. Enbia. Carol & Brandy are still sniping at each other, and at Caite once they get back to the clue box with the U-Turn picture on it. Brent & Caite have a great time on the zip line, and their clue tells them to find the Marina Barrage across town, which is the Pit Stop.
Michael gets the correct number of links, but since he didn’t grab the clipboard, he has to go back and get it and submit his number. Jet goes to the supervisor and gets the number right on his clipboard, and just beats out Michael for the clue. Michael & Louie’s cab had taken off and they try to steal Carol & Brandy’s, telling the driver “they said it was okay” and “they’re very mean, they’ll just be mean to you” but the driver wouldn’t budge. After searching a bit, they offer a woman $20 American money to take her cab, and she accepts.
Brent & Caite find the Mat and Phil, who mentions that they used the U-Turn. Caite gives her whine about how “mean” Carol & Brandy have been to her, and Phil says “looks like they picked on the wrong team.”
Carol & Brandy finish counting (and every team got the right number the first time...I’m surprised!) and find out from their cab driver that the Detectives tried to steal their cab. Jet & Cord are having fun going down the zip lines, and they’re not wearing their hats! I thought a cowboy never takes his hat off, boys! They make it to Phil at the Mat in third place, where Phil teases them about their drumming, saying “I heard it was pathetic.” Jet says “the closest we’ve come to playing a musical instrument is a radio.”
The editors are making it look like Carol & Brandy have a shot at getting ahead of Michael & Louie. They arrive at the park at what looks like pretty much the same time and Carol & Brandy seem to be right on their heels at the zip line. Michael tells Louie he has to step it up and hurry, and Louie, panting all the way, says he’s trying. BUT after the zip line ride, Louie sees the beautiful girl giving out the clues and beats Michael to her - I guess all Michael has to do to get Louie moving faster is to have a gorgeous woman run ahead of him!
Carol & Brandy complain some more about Brent & Caite as they ride toward the Pit Stop, and it looks like they get to the Pit Stop as Michael & Louie do - but Michael & Louie get fourth place and Carol & Brandy are eliminated. Brandy tells Phil “there’s no reason they should have U-Turned us. There were two other teams that did consistently better than us. Dumb did us in.” Carol adds that they’ll get over the bad day and "enjoy the richness of the experience - and then I’ll translate that into first grade language for Caite.”
So, after all the back-and-forth sniping from Carol & Brandy at Brent & Caite, and Brent & Caite at Carol & Brandy, and Carol at Brandy and Brandy at Carol, do you think like I do that Brent & Caite used a tool to their advantage and got rid of a good team? Or should they have U-Turned the Detectives or Cowboys? We’re down to four teams (and one girl) - who’s got the best shot? We’ll find out next week!
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