Amazing Race 12, episode 11 recap (finale!)

by Jamie Rhein on

After 10 cities, 4 continents, nearly 30,000 miles, and the eliminated racers cheering on an airport tarmac this episode of Amazing Race 12 truly felt like a race to the finish. Besides getting my heart rate up a bit with wanting either Nick & Don to win, or TK & Rachel, it gave me a push to put Alaska on my go-to-soon list.

As tense as the teams felt, this was an episode when thrill was the theme and whoever thinks up these tasks should get a bonus. I loved it.

First, there were the sweeping shots of Taipei and Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Plaza where the teams left off in episode 10. Then, next stop, Anchorage, Alaska. Christina & Ron, with their first place edge. pulled a smooth move at the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport –a good tip to keep in mind. After booking their seats on China Airlines, Ron asked if they could get an upgrade to the lounge. Sweet. They used it for the Internet to find the address of their first stop in Anchorage–6th Avenue Outfitters.

Don’t these folks ever drink coffee? While Christina was doing a Web search, I would have been looking for coffee. I mean, they already knew when their flight was leaving. They already had their assigned seats at the front of the plane because Christina asked for them so they could get off the plane first. What’s the hurry? It’s not like they enjoyed the lounge at all.

In the meantime, it was amusing to watch Don & Nate and TK & Rachel wonder and worry about the whereabouts of Christina & Ron since the dynamic duo was no where in sight. Ah, the sigh of relief when the two showed up, trotting down the steps from their lame lounge experience. As what happened with many of the legs of the race, the teams ended up on the same flight–and as with most situations in life, the worry was for naught.

Up to this point, we also got a recap about what was going on in each team’s mind. “My dad and I are stronger and smarter,” said Christina. “Staying calm…to slow down and do one task at a time,” said Rachel. “To have respect for my grandfather,” said Nick. Christina’s little comment dropped her off my “who I want to win” list. One needs to keep in mind, pride comes before a fall, particularly on national television.

Ron & Christina did keep their first place lead for a long, long while. As TK remarked, “I’ve seen Ron run like a Ninja.” Ron never did let that hernia get to him. Matter of fact, I don’t think he said the H word once this episode, even when he was scaling up the sheer ice cliff with the aid of ice climbing gear.

Speaking of gear. Here’s where Nick & Don had a big heartbreak. All teams got to 6th Avenue Outfitters without a problem, but Nick didn’t read the clue carefully enough and left the gear they needed behind at the store. At the first Detour, discovered at Ship Creek Boat Launch, they either had to fillet cod–huge, huge fish, or grab crab. One of the cod held a clue inside. One of the crabs had a marking on its shell that would lead them to a clue.

Ron’s reaction to filleting fish was a hoot. “This isn’t an easy task for a city slicker…This is a lot of nasty guts,” he said. But he chopped away with determination that paid off since he and Christiana found the clue before TK and Rachel had jumped into the crab tanks to start grabbing.

Poor Don & Nick. Once they got to the dock and discovered they needed gloves and a knife, they had to hustle back to the outfitters to pick up their gear. Oh, the horror of traveling when it’s discovered something important has been left behind. What could have ruined everything wasn’t that bad. Don had only one stern remark for his careless grandson, dropping the lecture pretty quickly. I like that guy. Besides, the outfitters couldn’t possibly have been all that far away or TK and Rachel spent way too much time in the crab tank before switching to spilling fish guts. In no time at all Don, with tools now in hand, slit open that fish like a pro and found the clue placing Nick and him close on the heels of TK & Rachel.

About this point, I noticed that the Amazing Race music had really picked up the pace. The music was racing as the teams raced in speed boats up 2-Mile River to the glacier that each team member had to climb up using climbing paraphernalia in order to get to their next clue. “This is awesome!” shouted TK during the speed boat ride. For the audience there was some wonderful shots of the landscape as the teams zipped between the river banks and by what looked like small islands of ice.

Christina had the hardest time with the glacier climbing task and called out a tremulous “Daddy,” as if Ron could give her a hand up or come down to get her or something. He was pleased as punch with himself over his own climb since he’s afraid of heights and quipped that maybe he ought to take lessons. Finally Christina hauled herself up and over, maintaining their first place spot as they climbed into a helicopter.

The teams’ helicopter rides to their next stop, Merrill Field afforded them a gorgeous view of miles of Alaskan wilderness. “Sigh.” I did think, “My, this leg of the race isn’t particularly environmentally friendly,” but that thought left as quickly as it came. Once in Merrill Field the teams had to take a taxi to Goose Lake Park, which is back in Anchorage. Here, one person from each team had to do a task with incredibly confusing directions. I tried, but I couldn’t keep up.

Here’s the idea of it. There were items from each leg of the race. The team member had to gather 10 items together, but they had to be in a certain combination. If they got that combination right, their next clue popped up out of a black box. It reminded me a bit of the party game where there are assorted items on a tray. People look at the items for one minute, then the items are taken away. Whoever can remember the most items wins.

Christina’s smarts didn’t help her much as she wandered among the chicken, donkey, bowl of camel’s milk, vaulting pole, bicycle, gas tanks, U-Turn sign, Blackberry, stilts, and a cleaning guy from Japan. Yes, three cleaning guys from Japan were there (one for each team). Eventually she resorted to swearing, i.e.,. “Africa frickin’ and “Netherlands frickin” etc. etc. She even said the F word once–there was a bleep in place of what she said–and I started liking her more again. Then she said a “Lord help me” and I thought, “Yep, I’ve been there too.”

In the meantime, Rachel kept at this daunting memory game and Nick worked on his. Don turned to Ron while they watched and said, “No sense me doing this. I’d be there forever” while Christina wondered how she’d ever get the donkey up on the platform.

Finally, Rachel figured out the combination of items and the clue popped up. The cleaning man was in the mix of items because he is an animal in case anyone wonders what humans have in common with donkeys. I didn’t quite figure out the combination myself, but this was a brilliant way for the Amazing Race to give a recap of the other episodes. At one point Rachel looked at the pole and said, “I don’t remember that,” and I’m thinking, as the show played black and white footage of her vaulting over the ditch (I think it was her) using a pole, how could anyone forget Don stripped down to his underwear?

So, there is Rachel & TK vaulting ahead while Christina is still praying and Nick looks up in disbelief that his brain is not functioning as well as he’d hoped. At this point I figured Nick & Don were not coming in first. There was still one more stop to go. Taking a taxi, the teams had to head to “the Cook’s eye view of the Sleeping Lady” which is a statue of Captain James Cook in downtown Anchorage.

There, they got another clue that told them to head on foot to the salmon hooker, a statue of a fish. That clue told them to head to the finish at Girdwood Airport. There was a bit of excitement since Christina figured out the item combination not long after Rachel did but TK and Rachel kept their lead and finished first with their eliminated fellow racers clapping and yelling for them. TK’s first comment, as he’s clutching his head at the finish line, “I can’t believe it. This is freaking me out.”

I’m not sure what I’d do if I realized I had just won a half a million dollars with my significant other laying claims to the same amount. Even after winning the race, those two stayed calm. “She’s petite, but she’s tough,” said TK. “TK’s my best friend,” said Rachel.

It does seem that everyone who finished in the top three got what they most needed from this traveling sprint around the world. Christina & Ron got a better relationship like they wanted. “I learned a lot. How to become a better person,” said Ron. Christina agreed that their new improved relationship–their friendship is worth more than a million dollars. Nick and Don wanted quality time, which they certainly got. “I got everything I wanted from it and more,” said Nick. I thought about the tattoos that he and Don now have to always remind them of Italy. That’s certainly more than they wanted.

Despite not getting a million dollars, I’d be thrilled if I were the other two teams. Each of them got to go around the world on someone else’s dime and see things they never would have seen otherwise–plus a helicopter ride in Alaska. How cool is that? Plus, a million may be more aggravation than it’s worth–maybe. Who knows what’s in store for TK & Rachel except for some talk show appearances, new cars and a house possibly? Best thing of all about this race, Don proved that if you’re pushing 70, don’t let that stop you. Get your bag and go.

**All pictures from the Amazing Race Web site.

Amazing Race 12, Episode 10 Recap

by Martha Edwards on


I was pretty on edge at the beginning of this episode, as my favourite team, TK and Rachel, were so far behind from last week’s episode. But whatever. First off, I should say Happy Birthday to my least favourite contestant, Jen. Yes, this episode takes place on her Birthday — what a way to spend it. The first task is head to the Floating Garden on the top of the Umeda Sky Building in Osaka. The gardens didn’t open until 10am, so all teams except TK and Rachel wound up waiting together for the gardens to open. Once they made it to the top, they found a clue telling them to head to Taipei, Taiwan!

Perhaps one of the highlights of the whole episode happened on the way to the Airport in Osaka when Nate talked about how excited he was to go to Taiwan because he loves Thai food. Switch over to a clip of Ronald talking about how he was a bit worried because they were up against such ‘smart’ teams. Yeah, right.

Anyway, TK and Rachel, who were quite far behind, had a bit of a meltdown finding the floating garden, because they had their minds made up that a garden should be on the ground. Then, when they finally made it to the roof, they uncharacteristically started fighting, and ended up walking right past the clue. I yelled ‘Nooooo’ at the screen, and maybe they heard because they found it moments laters! You can thank me later, guys.

Then, of course, moew airport drama ensued. Christina and Ronald scored the first flight out and convinced the ticket agent to tell Nate and Jen that they were all sold out. Their scheming worked, though–they ended up getting into Taipei before the other teams. And, in an amazing stroke of luck, TK and Rachel caught up with Nate and Jen and Nick and Don at immigration at the Taipei airport. Yay!

The first task in Taiwan was to take a high speed train to Taichung, and then a taxi to Jiji. Once there, they encountered a road block (a task only one team member can do.) This road block involved getting into a car with a stunt driver, who would first drive onto a teeter totter in the air, and after much precarious rocking back and forth, the team member would then have to get into an amphibious car and drive underwater for 17 seconds. Rachel and Nate both had a blast at this task, while Ronald and Don looked like they were going to vomit.

Then came the dreaded speed bump–TK and Rachel had to take a taxi to a field, where they have to don suit and run through a barrage of firecrackers. The key here is they had to run, so the task was completed in no time, and they quickly caught up to the other teams. Jen and Nate were none too impressed with TK and Rachel’s speedy progress this episode, and she made her feelings clear by talking about ‘ripping out his dreadlocks.’ She also lamented the fact that she and Nate had to work so hard while TK and Rachel just ‘slacked off.’ Yikes. Nate and Jen? You should take lessons from TK and Rachel. They still like each other.

Speaking of the other teams, they had to hop back on the high speed train and head back to Taipei, where they had to find a tea house and drink a cup of tea to get their next clue. The clue was written in Chinese on the inside of a tea cup–it was up to them to figure out what the clue said and how to get there. As it turns out, the tea cup was leading them to a popular night market, where they had to find a scary-looking clown on a unicycle for their next clue.

The next clue let them chose between Fire–lighting a spirit lantern and sending it up to the sky (incidentally, nobody chose this task)–Earth–walking a 220-foot stone path in their bare feet, then walking back again. Teams did this with many cries of agony. TK and Rachel got ahead by jogging along the path, and it made me wonder why more people didn’t do that; it seems like it would be less painful that way. Not that I have any experience with stone walking … just sayin’.

The next stop was the pit shop at Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial. Not surprisingly, Christina and Ronald came in first. But as for the other three teams, it was anyone’s guess. Jen and Nate made an interesting choice on their way to walk the path of stones — instead of taking the usual cab, they decided traffic would hold them back and so they hopped on the subway. It could have been a brillian move, or a fatal one. Ultimately, it was the latter — they were the last team to arrive at the pit stop. TK and Rachel came in second and Nick and Don squeezed into the third spot.

Although I’ve been hard on Nate and Jen, I felt pretty bad for them as they learned their fate. They both started crying, not only about their elimination but also about their relationship falling apart. They acknowledged that they should have spent more time being nice to each other than trying to win, which makes me think that maybe they’re not as dense as they usually seem to be. Plus? It was Jen’s Birthday. Ouch. Now every birthday will be a reminder of the time she blew a chance at $1Million.

All in all? A great episode. Though I wish they’d stop with the suspenseful music already — the show is nerve-racking enough without it.

(All photos from The Amazing Race Official Site)

Amazing Race 12, episode 8 recap

by Martha Edwards on


Hot on the heels of last week’s heart-pounding adventures in Florence, Italy, the teams are on their way to Mumbai, India! I’m currently reading a book about Bombay so I was quite excited to see some of the sights, at least vicariously.

Anyway, all the teams head to the airport super early, only to find that it’s closed. All the teams except Nick and Don, that is, and they enjoy a good night’s sleep after making a phone reservation for the first flight out. Once the doors open to the airport, it’s a war of the line-ups again, like it is in every episode. What I can’t figure out is, if there’s two line-ups within plain sight of one another, why doesn’t one team member go to one, and the other to another and just signal each other if one finds a good flight first ?!

Anyway, the first three teams find a flight that gets them into Bombay at 10:35pm. Despite being told that the next flight didn’t get in until 1am, Kynt and Vyxsin managed to find a flight that got them in at 10:50pm, and made a big production of pretending that they were really stressed out and disappointed to make TK and Rachel think they hadn’t found a flight. And since TK and Rachel are my favourite team, I was pretty annoyed by this whole thing.

BUT when the teams got to Mumbai, their first stop is a newstand that doesn’t open until 6am. So in the grand scheme of things, it didn’t matter when the teams arrived — they all had an equal chance. Wicked.

So once the newstand opened, they had to go through the daily paper and find a teeny tiny ad telling them where to head. Teams with good concentration and focus got ahead. Meanwhile, Jen and Nate, who started off the show by saying that they were embarrassed by how much they’ve been fighting, spent precious time–you guessed it–yapping at one another. Henceforth, they were the last ones to get to the detour.

The detour was a choice between posting a huge, multi-piece Bollywood poster on the wall of an underpass, or stringing 108 flowers for a wedding garnish. TK and Rachel used this as their chance to get ahead–Rachel is a florist in real life, so the flower task was a snap for her. Ronald and Christina had yet another nasty fight over this task, and it was pretty painful to watch.

And as for Kynt and Vyxsin and their speedbump? Their task was to do some yoga, which they did with ease, and it made them all the more calm and focused for the flower-threading task they did next. By the time they finished, they were neck-in-neck with Nate and Jen, speed bump be darned. I guess I don’t even need to tell you that Nate and Jen were bashing each other during this task too — Nate told Jen she should be better at stringing flowers because she’s a girl, and she snapped back that he should know how to row a boat, then. Meow!

The next clue had a bright, shiny U-Turn beside it — everyone avoided it, except for Kynt and Vyxsin. At the time, the only people behind them were Nate and Jen, and when I saw them stopping at the U-Turn, I did a small squee of joy because I was sure they would U-Turn the bickering couple. No such luck though — they chose to U-Turn Nick and Don, who were well ahead of them, because ‘they’re usually one of the slower teams.’ Huh? Nick and Don have kicked ass in this game if you ask me.

The next task was a roadblock (meaning only one person can complete it) and it was a physically demanding one — teams had to deliver heavy metal propane cans door-to-door and wheel them around on a bike. Which left me wondering why Ronald took on the task with his hernia and all — I think it’s probably something Christina could have handled. Anyway, Jen earned rare points in my books by insisting on doing the task instead of Nate — I like women who are willing to take on the heavy lifting. My loudest laugh-out-loud moment was during this task–Kynt had some trouble with his bike and rammed the cart into a cement wall — luckily, some villagers stopped to show him how to use the brake.

This episode was tense, with the Goth Couple and the Bickering Couple neck-in-neck for most of the duration, but in the end, a careless mistake–not getting the proper receipts on his gas can deliveries–cost Kynt and Vyxsin the game. They came in last only by a hair, and I’m sad to see them go.

As for first place? I’m happy to say it was TK and Rachel who took the top stop, and they won themselves a fancy trip to St. Maarten.

Only four teams left — we’re down to the wire now! Stay tuned.

Meandering through Tuscany

by Jamie Rhein on

Although, Amazing Race does afford a glimpse of fascinating places, the pace and editing of a one hour show doesn’t allow time for savoring the places through which the teams are racing. Senses don’t get triggered much, and I don’t think I’ve ever been to a country that triggers my senses like Italy does. Not in a sensual way. India is more a bombardment that can be overwhelming. Thailand comes close. Because Italy–where the teams went this past Sunday— is definitely a place to sensually savor, here is the video “Tuscany, Italy–The Charmed Land” that does just that.

The video shows off the lushness of several Tuscany cities and the countryside through photographs set to music. The close ups of gelati, Italian ice-cream fired up my taste buds for sure. Italian ice-cream is sublime. This lovely and engaging blend of people, artwork, shops, food and buildings will transport you back to Tuscany if you’ve ever been– and make you want to go immediately if you haven’t. Great job to durangowrangler.

Amazing Race 12 Recap 7, finally

by Jamie Rhein on

With Survivor: China taking the place of Amazing Race December 16, it threw off our coverage. It’s a who’s on first type of story, partly complicated by my Kentucky trip to a funeral and Christmas. Here’s my recap of what happened in episode 7. My apologies for not getting this out there sooner, but I’m following the adage, better late than never.

It also seems like the Amazing Race folks are having a time getting their Web site in order. I looked and looked, but only found one photo from this episode posted. Instead, I’m going to point you towards web clips of the various incidents, and a smattering of other visuals. The web clips are on the Amazing Race Web site under “Videos.” To get to this page, click on Videos, then web clips, then Episode 7.

If I were on the Amazing Race, this leg of this dash around the world would have given me the feeling of hitting pay dirt. Considering how much the teams ooohed and ahhed over the beauty of Croatia in episode 6, anything else could have been a real let down–not so Italy.

Florence, Rome and Bologna were part of the itinerary depending on the route the teams took to Empoli, the site of the Road Block. Oh, how I love Italy, and Florence is my favorite. Sure, it’s a tourist hot spot, but there’s a reason. I’ve been there three times, and each time was superb. Do not miss the statue of David. I repeat. Do not miss the statue of David

Getting to Empoli was filled with some interesting–and surprising turns of events. Teams that haven’t had much trouble in the past experienced a truth about travel. If you’re on the road long enough, one day can be downright lousy–and you might find yourself doing things you never thought possible. The beginning of the episode was fairly smooth sailing, literally, for most teams–although, I have to say, these early morning departures would do me in. Ron and Christiana departed Dubrovnik, Croatia by bus at 2 a.m. for Split to catch the ferry for Ancona, Italy to in route to Florence.

Since Don and Nick managed to catch up with the other teams for this journey across the Adriatic Sea, and they didn’t leave the Pit Stop until 7:06, I’m wondering about the advantage of leaving so darned early like Ron and Christiana did. I realize that the idea is to get a head start before everyone else, but doesn’ t it seem that when teams leave so early it doesn’t do much good most of the time?

Not taking a chance, though, is probably the best strategy since teams don’t know what to expect at each juncture. This holds true for most travel. Whenever I leave late, I tend to get lost or can’t find a place to stay. When I leave earlier, the traffic is lighter and there’s the notion that I can stop somewhere for a sit down lunch. However, check out the video “A Perfect Day in Split”. There’s something to be said for a more leisurely pace. While TK and Rachel and Nate and Jen waited for their ferry departure, they spent time swimming in the Adriatic. This footage of Nate and Jen frolicking about shows just how those awful road fights can end up behind you.

For an extra look at the ferry ride and some authentic travel experience, check out “Ron’s Makeshift Bed”. You have to hand it to Christina. She has a knack for not letting her dad get so totally on her nerves. Ron’s talk about wanting to sleep on the hard floor deck as opposed to being with the other passengers inside on comfy cushions (Christina’s desire) makes total sense. It may seem like he’s a nut, but he knows what he’s talking about in a way. I loved when he mentioned the soothing vibration. He’s one determined guy when it comes to wanting to be right. From the map, you can see ferries from Croatia to Italy take many routes. Click map for options.

This section brought back my own memories of leaving Skopelos, Greece on a 9 p.m. ferry (or thereabouts) in order to catch a 2. a.m. train (or thereabouts) for Athens in order catch another train for the coast where the ferry to Brindisi, Italy was docked. When we took the ferry to Greece, we hung out with other folks inside, but on the way back, we stayed on the deck, tucked out of the traffic. I was too tired to interact and be in a crowd.

The ferry ride was the lull before the real push once they arrive in Italy. Then it was a race through the parking lot to locate their cars for the drive through this region of Tuscany to Empoli. Now, the real fun for the viewers began. Considering the drive was in the dark, that must have been hell for anyone with a night vision problem. Rachel’s description of what it’s like to be in a car at 4:30 in the morning after the choice to swim instead of sleep in “A Long Night of Driving” was another I’ve been there experience. It’s the dilemma of wanting to see as much as possible and hoping your body will cooperate. Not so much in her case. She’s struggling to stay awake and presents some staying awake tips. Slap your face is one of them. There should be a prize for this couple at being the best at getting along no matter what. I’d like to see where they are in 25 years.

This was also the point in Amazing Race 12 for the teams’ families to be brought in via Blackberries. Nick and Don’s family member’s messages in “Nick and Don’s Family” give a terrific look at why Grandpa is the way he is and why these two don’t get ruffled all that much. Here’s one quote.”that sweet, shy, senile grandpa of yours.” Hah!

Here’s the scoop about driving to Empoli. If you go straight to Florence you’ll get there first (Nate & Jen) because going through Bologna is a longer route and you might end up in a traffic jam (Ron & Christina, Kynt & Vyxsin and Nick & Don), and if you go through Rome, you might have such a great time eating lunch in Ancona that you forget the clue and have to go back to get it. (TK & Rachel)

In Empoli, one team member had to search for the word Vinci while soaring above Tuscany in an ultralight. Now, that would be sweet indeed. Some enjoyed the view, while others became frustrated at not seeing what they needed. Ron was back to putting Christina down. Because TK couldn’t find Vinci until having to refuel the ultralight and trying again, they fell behind to last place.

Don and Nick skipped the ultralight and took the Fast Forward that led to a task that certainly tests ones desire to win a million dollars. I’m not sure what I would have done. The duo ended up in a tattoo parlor getting FF tattooed on their arm. FF=Fast Forward. I may have asked if the tattoo artist could have prettied it up with a butterfly or something. I also wonder if Amazing Race would foot the bill to have it taken off at the end of the game.

Just think about what this would be like for the rest of your life explaining that the FF does not stand for french fries, or whatever else people might imagine. Here’s some tips in case you decide to get your own tattoo in Italy. The Fast Forward meant they could skip the town of Vinci and head to the Pit Stop at Boboli Gardens in Florence. I would be bummed out in a way to not have the chance to go to Vinci, the birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci. Here teams chose between two tasks. One was to learn a flag routine at the Piazza Guido Masi.

The other was to build a crane based on Leonardo da Vinci’s design in order to lift a boulder to read the clue on the bottom. With crane building not being their forte, Vyxsin and Kynt decided to drive to the flag routine option which lead to getting lost and an emotional meltdown. As Vyxsin sped them along, Kynt threatened to jump out of the car and drive instead. Oh, yes, I know that scene. I have lived it in some form or another. Particularly when Kynt had trouble getting the car to shift after he took over and Vyxsin sniped at him. Who hasn’t said, “Just shut up for once today,” like Kynt did. The moral of this story is, stay where you are and do what’s in front of you. When driving through towns you don’t know, getting lost is always an option.

TK and Rachel also had their share of car troubles when a flat tire put them behind once more. They are too nice for such turmoil. But, their flat tire didn’t stop them from ending up in Florence in 4th place with Vyxsin and Kynt close behind. Grandpa Don and Nate’s tattoos earned them a five-night trip for two to Cancun where I expect they will recount their tattoo story.

Since this was a non-elimination episode, stay tuned for this Sunday when we find out what Vyxsin and Kynt have to do for their Speed Bump to stay in the race. Even though Vyxsin and Kynt did have a squabble, in the clip “Vyxsin’s Bad Day” they demonstrate that people can recover from a meltdown and all can be well again.

This photo of a tattoo taken in Florence, Italy says it all. In essense: “Everything happens for a reason.”