Season Finale
The Final 4 teams and pool participants still in the running:
Roller Moms, Mona & Beth: Robert L, Kim B, Janine S, Jenn G and Jessica C.
Country Singers, Caroline & Jennifer: Miranne D, Laura W, Lee G, Bernice R and Krista H.
Hockey Brothers, Bates & Anthony: Sue & Hannelore, Cara & Alex L, Roxanne S, Bryon L, and Ian G.
Horrible Honeymoon, Max & Katie: Tamara J, Drew C, Pat T, Sandy G and Cheryl B.
The teams are heading out from Edinburgh, Scotland - Max & Katie depart first at 4:07pm - they read the clue to head to the capital of Northern Ireland - they have to take a train to the coast, then a ferry over to Belfast NI, then pick up a car and drive themselves to a park where they'll find their next clue (trains, boats and automobiles, oh my!) They hop in a cab and head for the train station.
-Bates & Anthony are next out at 4:15pm - it's raining and they can't find a cab - but they figure they may be able to walk to the station. The brothers say they think the Roller Moms are the strongest team still there and they have to go (hmm, I wouldn't go that far.)
-The boys get to the train station and get on the same train as Max & Katie.
-Country Singers are heading out at 5:27pm - they are excited to be in the final 4 and they attribute their success in getting so far to their positive energy, they are having so much fun and they believe in each other. (Teams that flirt together, stick together?)
-Roller Moms last out at 7:27pm - Last leg was rough for them but they know they make the other teams nervous so they weren't surprised to be U-Turned. They are really good friends but their whole relationship has centered around competition and they think that has given them an edge.
-First two teams get to the ferry terminal and find out the next boat doesn't leave for Ireland until 7:30am - so it looks like they are sleeping there... and all the teams will be on the same ferry in the morning.
-In the terminal Max can't help being a jerk and asks the Roller Moms how they felt when they only saw two cars in the parking lot on the last leg [when they realized they didn't have the lead like they thought] and Max & Katie were the team that U-Turned them too, so he enjoys pouring salt on that wound.
-Beth says it's a game, she would have done the same thing too - but to the camera she says she doesn't understand why they would be helping the strongest team [the hockey brothers] if they want to win themselves. (Well, they were behind Bates & Anthony so they couldn't U-Turn them... but I don't think they would have anyway.)
-On the ferry all the teams are using the Internet and getting directions to the places they need to go. Once the ferry lands they all take off running for the shipyard where the cars are parked.
-Mona & Beth start out leading the pack but Max & Katie and the Hockey boys pass them in traffic.
-Hockey Brothers are content following Max & Katie but she is doing her backseat driving and second guessing Max's every move - she thinks they've gone too far so she gets him to turn around - Bates & Anthony follow.
-Mona & Beth don't think they went the right way so they are going to keep going the way they think it should be - The Country Girls are following them.
-Max & Katie and the Hockey Brothers are the first teams to the park.
-Mona & Beth and the Country Singers realize they need to turn around.
-At the park, the two teams first there read the clue to the ROADBLOCK: Who wants to be bogged down? They will have to participate in a bog snorkeling competition - something conceived over a pint at the pub (Nooo, really?) Katie and Anthony will be doing this Roadblock.
-They must take a kiddy train out to the marsh, don a wetsuit, snorkel & flippers, cannonball into a mud pit then swim 100m through a murky bog in under 4 minutes. Once they complete it in time, they'll get their next clue.
-The other two teams arrive at the Park and Jen & Mona are going to be snorkeling - but they have to wait for the train to come back first.
-Once at the bog, Anthony and Katie (who is already complaining about having to do this, of course) have to suit up, with some difficulty (wet suits are ti-ight.) Anthony is the first to go, he jumps in the mud, filling his mask, then he gets into the swimming lane and finishes the swim in 2:18 - they get the clue to drive back to Belfast and find 'the thing with a ring' (it's a sculpture).
-All the girls are complaining about this task. Katie says it's not part of the honeymoon. Mona says two things she hates are being cold and dirty water (wah) - Jen is hoping they don't have to get in the water (what? Sigh, she's pretty.)
-Katie is off, she jumps in and Max has the pole to help her out but he is just holding it for her to pull herself out on - she snaps at him to pull her out - he's also pretty - she runs over to the swimming lane and almost wipes out running in flippers but she is off and swimming hard... then not so hard, then on her back... then stopping. (oh no.) Her excuse was that her mask fogged up and she didn't know how much farther she had. Max was afraid she would panic but she made it back in 3:08 - she said good thing she made it because she wasn't doing that again.
-Mona was very afraid of this challenge but she attacked it head on but also kinda freaking out the whole time. I've never heard someone whimpering in a snorkel before, I felt a little bad for her. She came in in 2:53 - not bad. But was still having a panic attack trying to get the wet suit off.
-Jen was the last to go and Caroline tells us Jen can't really swim but she had to do this Roadblock since Caroline had already done more of them. Once Jen got to the cut off point of the swim, she was supposed to turn around and go back - she got out of the water, and jumped into a mud pit on the other side of the bridge thing... What the heck? She's panicked, she doesn't know what to do (and obviously didn't listen to or understand the directions. Oy.) She goes over the 4 minutes and says she can't do it again.
Out at the parking lot, Max is asking a local woman what 'the thing with the ring' is, just as Mona & Beth are running by - she starts to tell Max where it is really loudly, he tries to shush her but Mona comes on over and listens in... Ha! The Roller Moms follow Max & Katie.
-Jen's second attempt, Caroline is running along beside her in the water to urge her on but it doesn't work - Jen says she can't breathe and she gets out of the water. (So, you're just giving up on a million dollars? Really?) Caroline says they are not quitting.
-Bates & Anthony are stuck in traffic in Belfast.
-Max & Katie find the sculpture on the bridge and have lead the Roller Moms right to it too. They get the clue to the DETOUR: Tray it or Spray it.
-In Tray it, they will have to descend into the dry dock where the Titanic was built. One person will have to serve a 5 course meal to a dining room (set up under tents in the dry dock) full of guests while the other person helps prepare the dishes in the kitchen. The server has to remember and serve the dishes in the right order and to the right passengers. Once everyone has been served correctly, the captain will hand over their next clue.
-In Spray it, they have to go to a skate park and complete one side of a graffiti art piece using only a picture for reference (I would so do this one). When the crew feels they've completed it correctly, they'll get their next clue.
-Katie is thinking Tray it.
-Mona & Beth are going to Tray it.
-Anthony & Bates get to the sculpture and they are also going to Tray it (huh.)
-Back at the Bog Snorkeling, Caroline is not going to let Jen quit... but Jen is really wanting to quit.
-Max & Katie are the only team that walked over to the Dry Dock and they are the first ones there. They grab a seating chart and head into the tent to collect the dishes to serve. The seating chart for their table only lists two dishes under each person - but the clue said 5 courses... they are about to take out the wrong things when Katie goes and looks at the menu again and realizes three of the courses are set and only two have options so the two listed on the seating chart are the two options their diners chose. (Oh, sneaky.) They reset their tray with the correct first course and head out to serve. Katie is the server and she has to run down 6 flights of stairs then over to the tent then back up to get the next course (seriously?)
-Back at the Bog, Caroline and Jen pray together and Jen says they had promised they would not quit, so she had to do it, for Caroline and for herself. On her 3rd attempt she finally makes it in 3:43. Way to go Jen!
-Max is working on setting the tray for the second course, but none of the dishes are marked and no one would tell them what the dishes were so they had to figure out what the dishes were and give the right dishes to the right diners... this is a tough challenge.
-The Hockey brothers have now arrived and they haven't figured out the menu/choices thing. They are sending out the 2nd course first (no!)
-When Max went to hand off the tray Katie tells him they should switch and he agrees - they are much better off is he does the leg work and she does the thinking (good to know your role, I guess.)
They have their second course successfully delivered.
-Bates has run down all the soups and the Maitre D' tells him this is not what the diners ordered. Meanwhile Anthony has figured out the 5 courses and knows they sent down the wrong dishes first. Bates has to haul it all back up.
-Mona & Beth have also arrived and they do the same thing - send down all the soups first (wrong!)
-Country Singers stop at a local junk shop to ask what 'the thing with the ring' is and the cute old shop keeper is quite taken with them, even though they don't understand his accent. He draws them a map and Caroline has another husband prospect in Belfast :)
-Bates is now delivering the correct first course and Max delivers their third course correctly. Beth, however, has to run the soup back up... and the girls still don't get it - they send down more soup and the deserts - nope.
-Max & Katie are delivering their last course when Anthony trips on the train tracks and dumps his tray - he has to go back for more food and Bates has to wait... which gave him a bit of a breather but still, he wasn't happy.
-The nice old shop keeper has sent the Country Singers to the completely wrong place, a circular field of some kind. They ask young people there, who point them in the right direction, to The Beacon of Hope. Jen says they need a beacon of hope right now.
-Mona & Beth still haven't figured out the courses, yet they are still sending the wrong food down over and over. Maybe they should go paint.
-Max is rejected on his last course, he yells up to Katie something was wrong.
-Bates has successfully delivered the third course and is taking down the fourth while Katie fixes their fifth course (they had to know that chartreuse is green not red, sheesh, this task is a killer.)
-Country Singers have finally made it the clue box and are going to Spray it (maybe they are not so dumb.)
-Bates takes down red instead of green desert... and he's mad at Anthony for single-handedly losing this for them (I've never seen them lose the joking manner before, you can tell this task is is beast.) And Anthony switches out the wrong deserts (Oh NO.)
-Katie has sent Max with the green jelly and they are the first team finished. They get the clue to the PIT STOP, Ulster Hall.
-Country Singers are still looking for the skate park - they find it on the map but there are no street signs.
-Anthony is talking to Beth while she's waiting for Mona to bring her tray of food and he tells her their is a list of courses. Beth asks Mona if she's looking at the list and she's adamant that she's giving her the right things on the list (but she's not.) Anthony's smart enough to keep his mouth shut and not explain further.
-Bates has finally delivered the correct deserts and they got the clue to the Pit Stop.
-Jen & Caroline are still lost. Caroline misses a turn and has a little cry in the car (suck it up ladies!)
-Beth also has herself a little cry when she tries to deliver soup - again - and is wrong - again. (I blame Mona for this, why isn't she trying to figure out what the 5 courses are? They should switch tasks.) Mona finally listens to Beth about what Anthony told them and she finally sees the menu, "Man, we're idiots!" (We?)
-Hey, the Country Girls finally found the skate park! Caroline is still ready to cry and now it's Jen who has to bolster her - these two have switched roles from the last task - it's exhausting keeping up with the mood swings.
-Beth is finally serving the right course - "She wasn't reading the MENU!"
-Both lady teams are working their tasks - Mona & Beth have finally delivered their 5th course correctly and Caroline & Jen have finally received the thumbs up by the street artist... they are all heading for the Pit Stop.
Here's How They Finished the first half:
1) Max & Katie - won a trip to the Dominican Republic. Max is getting cocky, they have taken the last three legs, now they just have to win this thing.
2) Bates & Anthony - Not if they can help it.
3) Mona & Beth - They are both crying! So excited to have made the finals.
4) Caroline & Jennifer - **ELIMINATED** They enjoyed every minute of it and realize their friendship is a gift. Get ready for some travelling songs from these two.
Last Leg:
Belfast, Northern Ireland - Max & Katie are the first team to head out at 5:04am - they have to travel by ferry across the Irish Sea to Liverpool, hit a certain pub and order a pint to receive the next clue which will give them their final destination city. They think the honeymoon has been stressful but if they can't make it through this, the rest of the marriage should be easy. (These two do seem to deserve each other.)
-Bates & Anthony depart at 5:05am, Bates has played in the Stanley Cup finals and lost, he's not going to lose again. But they do like their chances of finding a bar, they seem to be good at that.
-Mona & Beth are heading out at 5:47am - they tell us they are representing everybody - the Roller Derby community, their kids, their families, women, moms... see everybody.
-Next ferry isn't until 10:30am - so they will all be on the same boat. The other teams hoped the Country Girls would be the final team but they have to pretend to be happy to see Mona & Beth. They have an eight hour ferry trip to pretend to be nice...
-Once they land in England the pub is right there - Mona & Beth and Max & Katie order their pints and get the clue (where are the Hockey Boys?) The final destination is Washington, D.C., once they touch down they must figure out their next clue is on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his "I Have A Dream" speech.
-Roller Moms and Horrible Honeymoon jump in cabs to Heathrow airport. And the Hockey Boys finally find the pub and get the clue. Bates lived in Washington for a while so he likes the sound of that being the final destination.
-11:30pm, the first two teams get to the airport and find the marked counter - it doesn't open until 5:15am - so they will all be back together on the same flight.
-Landing in Washington, they all sprint for the taxis and take off for the Lincoln Memorial. Max & Katie are the first team on the spot, and a well dressed gentleman gives them the next clue, to head to 1100 Pennsylvania Ave where a secret service agent will escort them to have their picture taken with the President of the United States, Barak Obama (What? Are you kidding? That's crazy!)
-Beth & Mona are right behind them and Bates & Anthony are third.
-They all hop in their cabs and they are wondering if it's for real that they will be taking a picture with the president. Everyone is excited by that prospect, except Max who is a huge Republican... (you don't have to vote for him, sheesh) He says he will leave his politics alone for this. (What a douche.)
-At 1100 Pen Ave - Max & Katie choose a Secret Service agent and head inside, through a metal detector.
-Mona & Beth have told their cab driver to take them to the White House which is 1600 Pennsylvania Ave - he tells them he can't take them any closer, they'll have to get out and walk. (Oops, that's not where you should be.)
-Bates & Anthony have given the right address and they are the second team to 1100 Pen Ave.
-Max & Katie are being led through... a mall. They get to the gift shop where they will be photoshopped into a picture with the president (awww, Katie thought it was real, pouting princess wants her some Barak Obama - but Max was relieved he wouldn't have to compromise his politics (blah!) The back of the picture tells them to make their way to the marked car near the paddle boat dock at the tidal basin. Once there, they must knock on the darkly tinted back window three times to receive a briefcase and their next clue.
-Beth & Mona are realizing they have run the wrong direction and are probably in a lot of trouble. (You are 5 blocks away... grab a cab or get running.) They grab a taxi.
-Bates & Anthony are led to the picture place and are quite let down it's not real. Bates gets a great hat head shot with the president :)
They take off for the paddle boat dock.
-Mona & Beth finally get to 1100 Pennsylvania Ave and head inside.
-Max & Katie find the marked car, get their briefcase and the clue - ROADBLOCK - it's an Amazing Race Switchback. There are 50 'agents' with briefcases positioned around the tidal basin. They will have a phrase they have to say to the agents, the one that answers them correctly has their briefcase and will give them the clue to the combination - the order they finished in 3 of the legs... (Oh crap!)
-Katie wants Max to do it but he's worried it could be memory and she should do it... but they think the running will be physical so he's doing it.
-Bates & Anthony get there and Bates is going to do this one.
-Both guys take off yelling weirdly random phrases at the 'agents' - Max, "Where can I get a good half-smoke with chili?" and Bates, "I did not dress warm enough for this weather." Getting a lot of cannot help yous.
-Mona & Beth are getting their souvenir photos taken, they also feel a little gullible for having believed it would have been real. They head off for the paddle boat dock.
-Bates is the first to find the answer to his query, "Perhaps you'd like to borrow my gloves." He gets the briefcase and the agent tells him the combination is the order they finished in New Zealand, Indonesia and Vietnam. We'll see if Bates has Memory power.
-Max is frustrated to see Bates get the hand off first.
-Bates pulls out a little notebook and they've kept track of everything - so he knows what place they came in on every leg. He does get it wrong once but rechecks and fixes that - Katie thinks Max is an idiot and they are going to be last.
-The Hockey Boys read the clue to make their way to the 'Home of the Nats'. Bates: Who? Anthony: The Nationals, baseball.
-Roller Girls just show up as the Hockey Brothers are leaving, typical. Beth is going to do this one for them, "The cherry blossoms are beautiful here in April."
-Max is halfway around the basin and he doesn't see anymore agents - he doesn't know what he's done wrong and he's heading back. Katie still thinks he's an idiot who has no idea what he's doing. (Yeah, their marriage is going to be great.)
-Bates & Anthony get to Nationals Park and find out it's time to "PLAY BALL!" One team member will be suspended to a zip line above the stadium. The other team mate will be dressed as a baseball (mascot costume) on the ground. The suspended player will fly across the field and will drop/throw a ball down to the baseball who must catch it in a glove. (Ha ha, this is ridiculous! But I love it.) They have to keep trying until they successfully catch the ball, and then will be given the next clue.
-They miss on their first attempt, Bates says he couldn't see out of the costume, it was like trying to catch with one eye closed - no depth perception.
-Back at the tidal basin - Beth finds an agent who will have to bring his mother there next spring and she gets the clue to the combo... we'll see if she remembers.
-Max finally finds the agent who has heard there is a great place on U Street. (Where the heck have you been?)
-Beth runs her briefcase back to Mona and she also checks their notes to find out the order they finished in the specified cities.
-Max runs back with his and Katie tells him he still has to do it - they also have notes and both teams are trying for taxis - Max jumps in front of the girls and gets the first taxi. They're heading for the baseball field.
-Bates makes the catch! The clue is written on the baseball - Hains Point. The cab driver knows where that is. They take off.
-Max & Katie get to the stadium and right to the clue box - Katie's going to throw and Max's going to catch.
-Mona & Beth get to the stadium too but have a wander around, they don't see the clue box.
-Inside, Max is having a hard time catching the ball and I can't say I didn't enjoy watching him falling down in the baseball costume.
-From inside, Mona & Beth finally spot the clue box outside - Beth used to play softball so she's going to catch.
-Bates & Anthony get to Hains Point - they find a big box full of globes. Each of the globes has a highlighted country on them. One person has to get in the box and find 10 globes that have one of the countries they visited on the Race on them. Throwing them out to their partner as they find them. They must then put the globes in the correct order before they can get their next clue.
-Back at the baseball field - Katie, "Oh my God! You suck at baseball." (Thanks for your loving support, honey.) Once Mona & Beth showed up it must have been the push Max needed because he caught the ball.
-Back at the adult sized ball pit - Anthony is buried in globes and he can't find any with the right countries marked. He's getting frustrated - until he finds Tahiti... then Vietnam. They said they've been sitting on planes memorizing maps looking at the countries - before this race, there would have been no way they'd know where anything was.
-Max & Katie are taking off for Hains Point and Beth is kinda digging the baseball outfit: "How does my butt look in this baseball?" Then they start to try the catching and it doesn't go so well... until the 17th attempt, success!
-Bates & Anthony can't find an Indonesia marked ball... finally Anthony finds one and the centre globe opens with the clue to the Finish Line: The Home of the First President. They hop in a cab.
-Max & Katie get to Hains Point and Max jumps in the ball pit and disappears.
-Mona & Beth get there and Mona jumps in the ball pit as well.
-Max & Katie decide to switch places at some point - but they get all the balls and take off for the finish line.
-Beth & Mona also decide to switch... I think Mona just wanted to belly flop into the balls.
Here's How They Finished:
WINNERS: Bates & Anthony! Anthony can buy himself some new false teeth now. There is no one else they'd want to race with, and no one else they would have done so well with. It was Amazing!
SECOND: Max & Katie - the Race really reinforced that they are a really really great power couple (Max's words) and they can really do some great things together (Really?)
THIRD: Mona & Beth - They hope their kids think their moms are bad asses. The Race has been life changing for them, it is a prize in itself.
And the winners of the pool: Sue & Hannelore (Hannelore, it's not your son & husband this time), Cara & Alex L (Bob & Katie, your kids aren't allowed in anymore ;P), Roxanne S (patience pays off), Bryon L (it's better not to get the cute little blondes sometimes) and Ian G (first time winner.) Congratulations everyone!
Apparently, next Sunday is the finale of Survivor... and Mother's Day. I'm almost on pool holidays!
Have a great week everyone,
Coleen
The Final 4 teams and pool participants still in the running:
Roller Moms, Mona & Beth: Robert L, Kim B, Janine S, Jenn G and Jessica C.
Country Singers, Caroline & Jennifer: Miranne D, Laura W, Lee G, Bernice R and Krista H.
Hockey Brothers, Bates & Anthony: Sue & Hannelore, Cara & Alex L, Roxanne S, Bryon L, and Ian G.
Horrible Honeymoon, Max & Katie: Tamara J, Drew C, Pat T, Sandy G and Cheryl B.
The teams are heading out from Edinburgh, Scotland - Max & Katie depart first at 4:07pm - they read the clue to head to the capital of Northern Ireland - they have to take a train to the coast, then a ferry over to Belfast NI, then pick up a car and drive themselves to a park where they'll find their next clue (trains, boats and automobiles, oh my!) They hop in a cab and head for the train station.
-Bates & Anthony are next out at 4:15pm - it's raining and they can't find a cab - but they figure they may be able to walk to the station. The brothers say they think the Roller Moms are the strongest team still there and they have to go (hmm, I wouldn't go that far.)
-The boys get to the train station and get on the same train as Max & Katie.
-Country Singers are heading out at 5:27pm - they are excited to be in the final 4 and they attribute their success in getting so far to their positive energy, they are having so much fun and they believe in each other. (Teams that flirt together, stick together?)
-Roller Moms last out at 7:27pm - Last leg was rough for them but they know they make the other teams nervous so they weren't surprised to be U-Turned. They are really good friends but their whole relationship has centered around competition and they think that has given them an edge.
-First two teams get to the ferry terminal and find out the next boat doesn't leave for Ireland until 7:30am - so it looks like they are sleeping there... and all the teams will be on the same ferry in the morning.
-In the terminal Max can't help being a jerk and asks the Roller Moms how they felt when they only saw two cars in the parking lot on the last leg [when they realized they didn't have the lead like they thought] and Max & Katie were the team that U-Turned them too, so he enjoys pouring salt on that wound.
-Beth says it's a game, she would have done the same thing too - but to the camera she says she doesn't understand why they would be helping the strongest team [the hockey brothers] if they want to win themselves. (Well, they were behind Bates & Anthony so they couldn't U-Turn them... but I don't think they would have anyway.)
-On the ferry all the teams are using the Internet and getting directions to the places they need to go. Once the ferry lands they all take off running for the shipyard where the cars are parked.
-Mona & Beth start out leading the pack but Max & Katie and the Hockey boys pass them in traffic.
-Hockey Brothers are content following Max & Katie but she is doing her backseat driving and second guessing Max's every move - she thinks they've gone too far so she gets him to turn around - Bates & Anthony follow.
-Mona & Beth don't think they went the right way so they are going to keep going the way they think it should be - The Country Girls are following them.
-Max & Katie and the Hockey Brothers are the first teams to the park.
-Mona & Beth and the Country Singers realize they need to turn around.
-At the park, the two teams first there read the clue to the ROADBLOCK: Who wants to be bogged down? They will have to participate in a bog snorkeling competition - something conceived over a pint at the pub (Nooo, really?) Katie and Anthony will be doing this Roadblock.
-They must take a kiddy train out to the marsh, don a wetsuit, snorkel & flippers, cannonball into a mud pit then swim 100m through a murky bog in under 4 minutes. Once they complete it in time, they'll get their next clue.
-The other two teams arrive at the Park and Jen & Mona are going to be snorkeling - but they have to wait for the train to come back first.
-Once at the bog, Anthony and Katie (who is already complaining about having to do this, of course) have to suit up, with some difficulty (wet suits are ti-ight.) Anthony is the first to go, he jumps in the mud, filling his mask, then he gets into the swimming lane and finishes the swim in 2:18 - they get the clue to drive back to Belfast and find 'the thing with a ring' (it's a sculpture).
-All the girls are complaining about this task. Katie says it's not part of the honeymoon. Mona says two things she hates are being cold and dirty water (wah) - Jen is hoping they don't have to get in the water (what? Sigh, she's pretty.)
-Katie is off, she jumps in and Max has the pole to help her out but he is just holding it for her to pull herself out on - she snaps at him to pull her out - he's also pretty - she runs over to the swimming lane and almost wipes out running in flippers but she is off and swimming hard... then not so hard, then on her back... then stopping. (oh no.) Her excuse was that her mask fogged up and she didn't know how much farther she had. Max was afraid she would panic but she made it back in 3:08 - she said good thing she made it because she wasn't doing that again.
-Mona was very afraid of this challenge but she attacked it head on but also kinda freaking out the whole time. I've never heard someone whimpering in a snorkel before, I felt a little bad for her. She came in in 2:53 - not bad. But was still having a panic attack trying to get the wet suit off.
-Jen was the last to go and Caroline tells us Jen can't really swim but she had to do this Roadblock since Caroline had already done more of them. Once Jen got to the cut off point of the swim, she was supposed to turn around and go back - she got out of the water, and jumped into a mud pit on the other side of the bridge thing... What the heck? She's panicked, she doesn't know what to do (and obviously didn't listen to or understand the directions. Oy.) She goes over the 4 minutes and says she can't do it again.
Out at the parking lot, Max is asking a local woman what 'the thing with the ring' is, just as Mona & Beth are running by - she starts to tell Max where it is really loudly, he tries to shush her but Mona comes on over and listens in... Ha! The Roller Moms follow Max & Katie.
-Jen's second attempt, Caroline is running along beside her in the water to urge her on but it doesn't work - Jen says she can't breathe and she gets out of the water. (So, you're just giving up on a million dollars? Really?) Caroline says they are not quitting.
-Bates & Anthony are stuck in traffic in Belfast.
-Max & Katie find the sculpture on the bridge and have lead the Roller Moms right to it too. They get the clue to the DETOUR: Tray it or Spray it.
-In Tray it, they will have to descend into the dry dock where the Titanic was built. One person will have to serve a 5 course meal to a dining room (set up under tents in the dry dock) full of guests while the other person helps prepare the dishes in the kitchen. The server has to remember and serve the dishes in the right order and to the right passengers. Once everyone has been served correctly, the captain will hand over their next clue.
-In Spray it, they have to go to a skate park and complete one side of a graffiti art piece using only a picture for reference (I would so do this one). When the crew feels they've completed it correctly, they'll get their next clue.
-Katie is thinking Tray it.
-Mona & Beth are going to Tray it.
-Anthony & Bates get to the sculpture and they are also going to Tray it (huh.)
-Back at the Bog Snorkeling, Caroline is not going to let Jen quit... but Jen is really wanting to quit.
-Max & Katie are the only team that walked over to the Dry Dock and they are the first ones there. They grab a seating chart and head into the tent to collect the dishes to serve. The seating chart for their table only lists two dishes under each person - but the clue said 5 courses... they are about to take out the wrong things when Katie goes and looks at the menu again and realizes three of the courses are set and only two have options so the two listed on the seating chart are the two options their diners chose. (Oh, sneaky.) They reset their tray with the correct first course and head out to serve. Katie is the server and she has to run down 6 flights of stairs then over to the tent then back up to get the next course (seriously?)
-Back at the Bog, Caroline and Jen pray together and Jen says they had promised they would not quit, so she had to do it, for Caroline and for herself. On her 3rd attempt she finally makes it in 3:43. Way to go Jen!
-Max is working on setting the tray for the second course, but none of the dishes are marked and no one would tell them what the dishes were so they had to figure out what the dishes were and give the right dishes to the right diners... this is a tough challenge.
-The Hockey brothers have now arrived and they haven't figured out the menu/choices thing. They are sending out the 2nd course first (no!)
-When Max went to hand off the tray Katie tells him they should switch and he agrees - they are much better off is he does the leg work and she does the thinking (good to know your role, I guess.)
They have their second course successfully delivered.
-Bates has run down all the soups and the Maitre D' tells him this is not what the diners ordered. Meanwhile Anthony has figured out the 5 courses and knows they sent down the wrong dishes first. Bates has to haul it all back up.
-Mona & Beth have also arrived and they do the same thing - send down all the soups first (wrong!)
-Country Singers stop at a local junk shop to ask what 'the thing with the ring' is and the cute old shop keeper is quite taken with them, even though they don't understand his accent. He draws them a map and Caroline has another husband prospect in Belfast :)
-Bates is now delivering the correct first course and Max delivers their third course correctly. Beth, however, has to run the soup back up... and the girls still don't get it - they send down more soup and the deserts - nope.
-Max & Katie are delivering their last course when Anthony trips on the train tracks and dumps his tray - he has to go back for more food and Bates has to wait... which gave him a bit of a breather but still, he wasn't happy.
-The nice old shop keeper has sent the Country Singers to the completely wrong place, a circular field of some kind. They ask young people there, who point them in the right direction, to The Beacon of Hope. Jen says they need a beacon of hope right now.
-Mona & Beth still haven't figured out the courses, yet they are still sending the wrong food down over and over. Maybe they should go paint.
-Max is rejected on his last course, he yells up to Katie something was wrong.
-Bates has successfully delivered the third course and is taking down the fourth while Katie fixes their fifth course (they had to know that chartreuse is green not red, sheesh, this task is a killer.)
-Country Singers have finally made it the clue box and are going to Spray it (maybe they are not so dumb.)
-Bates takes down red instead of green desert... and he's mad at Anthony for single-handedly losing this for them (I've never seen them lose the joking manner before, you can tell this task is is beast.) And Anthony switches out the wrong deserts (Oh NO.)
-Katie has sent Max with the green jelly and they are the first team finished. They get the clue to the PIT STOP, Ulster Hall.
-Country Singers are still looking for the skate park - they find it on the map but there are no street signs.
-Anthony is talking to Beth while she's waiting for Mona to bring her tray of food and he tells her their is a list of courses. Beth asks Mona if she's looking at the list and she's adamant that she's giving her the right things on the list (but she's not.) Anthony's smart enough to keep his mouth shut and not explain further.
-Bates has finally delivered the correct deserts and they got the clue to the Pit Stop.
-Jen & Caroline are still lost. Caroline misses a turn and has a little cry in the car (suck it up ladies!)
-Beth also has herself a little cry when she tries to deliver soup - again - and is wrong - again. (I blame Mona for this, why isn't she trying to figure out what the 5 courses are? They should switch tasks.) Mona finally listens to Beth about what Anthony told them and she finally sees the menu, "Man, we're idiots!" (We?)
-Hey, the Country Girls finally found the skate park! Caroline is still ready to cry and now it's Jen who has to bolster her - these two have switched roles from the last task - it's exhausting keeping up with the mood swings.
-Beth is finally serving the right course - "She wasn't reading the MENU!"
-Both lady teams are working their tasks - Mona & Beth have finally delivered their 5th course correctly and Caroline & Jen have finally received the thumbs up by the street artist... they are all heading for the Pit Stop.
Here's How They Finished the first half:
1) Max & Katie - won a trip to the Dominican Republic. Max is getting cocky, they have taken the last three legs, now they just have to win this thing.
2) Bates & Anthony - Not if they can help it.
3) Mona & Beth - They are both crying! So excited to have made the finals.
4) Caroline & Jennifer - **ELIMINATED** They enjoyed every minute of it and realize their friendship is a gift. Get ready for some travelling songs from these two.
Last Leg:
Belfast, Northern Ireland - Max & Katie are the first team to head out at 5:04am - they have to travel by ferry across the Irish Sea to Liverpool, hit a certain pub and order a pint to receive the next clue which will give them their final destination city. They think the honeymoon has been stressful but if they can't make it through this, the rest of the marriage should be easy. (These two do seem to deserve each other.)
-Bates & Anthony depart at 5:05am, Bates has played in the Stanley Cup finals and lost, he's not going to lose again. But they do like their chances of finding a bar, they seem to be good at that.
-Mona & Beth are heading out at 5:47am - they tell us they are representing everybody - the Roller Derby community, their kids, their families, women, moms... see everybody.
-Next ferry isn't until 10:30am - so they will all be on the same boat. The other teams hoped the Country Girls would be the final team but they have to pretend to be happy to see Mona & Beth. They have an eight hour ferry trip to pretend to be nice...
-Once they land in England the pub is right there - Mona & Beth and Max & Katie order their pints and get the clue (where are the Hockey Boys?) The final destination is Washington, D.C., once they touch down they must figure out their next clue is on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his "I Have A Dream" speech.
-Roller Moms and Horrible Honeymoon jump in cabs to Heathrow airport. And the Hockey Boys finally find the pub and get the clue. Bates lived in Washington for a while so he likes the sound of that being the final destination.
-11:30pm, the first two teams get to the airport and find the marked counter - it doesn't open until 5:15am - so they will all be back together on the same flight.
-Landing in Washington, they all sprint for the taxis and take off for the Lincoln Memorial. Max & Katie are the first team on the spot, and a well dressed gentleman gives them the next clue, to head to 1100 Pennsylvania Ave where a secret service agent will escort them to have their picture taken with the President of the United States, Barak Obama (What? Are you kidding? That's crazy!)
-Beth & Mona are right behind them and Bates & Anthony are third.
-They all hop in their cabs and they are wondering if it's for real that they will be taking a picture with the president. Everyone is excited by that prospect, except Max who is a huge Republican... (you don't have to vote for him, sheesh) He says he will leave his politics alone for this. (What a douche.)
-At 1100 Pen Ave - Max & Katie choose a Secret Service agent and head inside, through a metal detector.
-Mona & Beth have told their cab driver to take them to the White House which is 1600 Pennsylvania Ave - he tells them he can't take them any closer, they'll have to get out and walk. (Oops, that's not where you should be.)
-Bates & Anthony have given the right address and they are the second team to 1100 Pen Ave.
-Max & Katie are being led through... a mall. They get to the gift shop where they will be photoshopped into a picture with the president (awww, Katie thought it was real, pouting princess wants her some Barak Obama - but Max was relieved he wouldn't have to compromise his politics (blah!) The back of the picture tells them to make their way to the marked car near the paddle boat dock at the tidal basin. Once there, they must knock on the darkly tinted back window three times to receive a briefcase and their next clue.
-Beth & Mona are realizing they have run the wrong direction and are probably in a lot of trouble. (You are 5 blocks away... grab a cab or get running.) They grab a taxi.
-Bates & Anthony are led to the picture place and are quite let down it's not real. Bates gets a great hat head shot with the president :)
They take off for the paddle boat dock.
-Mona & Beth finally get to 1100 Pennsylvania Ave and head inside.
-Max & Katie find the marked car, get their briefcase and the clue - ROADBLOCK - it's an Amazing Race Switchback. There are 50 'agents' with briefcases positioned around the tidal basin. They will have a phrase they have to say to the agents, the one that answers them correctly has their briefcase and will give them the clue to the combination - the order they finished in 3 of the legs... (Oh crap!)
-Katie wants Max to do it but he's worried it could be memory and she should do it... but they think the running will be physical so he's doing it.
-Bates & Anthony get there and Bates is going to do this one.
-Both guys take off yelling weirdly random phrases at the 'agents' - Max, "Where can I get a good half-smoke with chili?" and Bates, "I did not dress warm enough for this weather." Getting a lot of cannot help yous.
-Mona & Beth are getting their souvenir photos taken, they also feel a little gullible for having believed it would have been real. They head off for the paddle boat dock.
-Bates is the first to find the answer to his query, "Perhaps you'd like to borrow my gloves." He gets the briefcase and the agent tells him the combination is the order they finished in New Zealand, Indonesia and Vietnam. We'll see if Bates has Memory power.
-Max is frustrated to see Bates get the hand off first.
-Bates pulls out a little notebook and they've kept track of everything - so he knows what place they came in on every leg. He does get it wrong once but rechecks and fixes that - Katie thinks Max is an idiot and they are going to be last.
-The Hockey Boys read the clue to make their way to the 'Home of the Nats'. Bates: Who? Anthony: The Nationals, baseball.
-Roller Girls just show up as the Hockey Brothers are leaving, typical. Beth is going to do this one for them, "The cherry blossoms are beautiful here in April."
-Max is halfway around the basin and he doesn't see anymore agents - he doesn't know what he's done wrong and he's heading back. Katie still thinks he's an idiot who has no idea what he's doing. (Yeah, their marriage is going to be great.)
-Bates & Anthony get to Nationals Park and find out it's time to "PLAY BALL!" One team member will be suspended to a zip line above the stadium. The other team mate will be dressed as a baseball (mascot costume) on the ground. The suspended player will fly across the field and will drop/throw a ball down to the baseball who must catch it in a glove. (Ha ha, this is ridiculous! But I love it.) They have to keep trying until they successfully catch the ball, and then will be given the next clue.
-They miss on their first attempt, Bates says he couldn't see out of the costume, it was like trying to catch with one eye closed - no depth perception.
-Back at the tidal basin - Beth finds an agent who will have to bring his mother there next spring and she gets the clue to the combo... we'll see if she remembers.
-Max finally finds the agent who has heard there is a great place on U Street. (Where the heck have you been?)
-Beth runs her briefcase back to Mona and she also checks their notes to find out the order they finished in the specified cities.
-Max runs back with his and Katie tells him he still has to do it - they also have notes and both teams are trying for taxis - Max jumps in front of the girls and gets the first taxi. They're heading for the baseball field.
-Bates makes the catch! The clue is written on the baseball - Hains Point. The cab driver knows where that is. They take off.
-Max & Katie get to the stadium and right to the clue box - Katie's going to throw and Max's going to catch.
-Mona & Beth get to the stadium too but have a wander around, they don't see the clue box.
-Inside, Max is having a hard time catching the ball and I can't say I didn't enjoy watching him falling down in the baseball costume.
-From inside, Mona & Beth finally spot the clue box outside - Beth used to play softball so she's going to catch.
-Bates & Anthony get to Hains Point - they find a big box full of globes. Each of the globes has a highlighted country on them. One person has to get in the box and find 10 globes that have one of the countries they visited on the Race on them. Throwing them out to their partner as they find them. They must then put the globes in the correct order before they can get their next clue.
-Back at the baseball field - Katie, "Oh my God! You suck at baseball." (Thanks for your loving support, honey.) Once Mona & Beth showed up it must have been the push Max needed because he caught the ball.
-Back at the adult sized ball pit - Anthony is buried in globes and he can't find any with the right countries marked. He's getting frustrated - until he finds Tahiti... then Vietnam. They said they've been sitting on planes memorizing maps looking at the countries - before this race, there would have been no way they'd know where anything was.
-Max & Katie are taking off for Hains Point and Beth is kinda digging the baseball outfit: "How does my butt look in this baseball?" Then they start to try the catching and it doesn't go so well... until the 17th attempt, success!
-Bates & Anthony can't find an Indonesia marked ball... finally Anthony finds one and the centre globe opens with the clue to the Finish Line: The Home of the First President. They hop in a cab.
-Max & Katie get to Hains Point and Max jumps in the ball pit and disappears.
-Mona & Beth get there and Mona jumps in the ball pit as well.
-Max & Katie decide to switch places at some point - but they get all the balls and take off for the finish line.
-Beth & Mona also decide to switch... I think Mona just wanted to belly flop into the balls.
Here's How They Finished:
WINNERS: Bates & Anthony! Anthony can buy himself some new false teeth now. There is no one else they'd want to race with, and no one else they would have done so well with. It was Amazing!
SECOND: Max & Katie - the Race really reinforced that they are a really really great power couple (Max's words) and they can really do some great things together (Really?)
THIRD: Mona & Beth - They hope their kids think their moms are bad asses. The Race has been life changing for them, it is a prize in itself.
And the winners of the pool: Sue & Hannelore (Hannelore, it's not your son & husband this time), Cara & Alex L (Bob & Katie, your kids aren't allowed in anymore ;P), Roxanne S (patience pays off), Bryon L (it's better not to get the cute little blondes sometimes) and Ian G (first time winner.) Congratulations everyone!
Apparently, next Sunday is the finale of Survivor... and Mother's Day. I'm almost on pool holidays!
Have a great week everyone,
Coleen
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