Hei Ho Heidi Ho
Last week, we heartbreakingly (for me anyway) said goodbye to the Cowboys when they were the team U-Turned by the Afghanimals; having to run the gauntlet with the blow-up bulls and then learn the Flamenco proved to be the undoing of the men in hats.
This leg, Dave & Connor were the first team to head out at 10:39am, they read the clue that they must make their way to Liverpool, England - by train from Spain, then by air to London and then driving themselves to Liverpool (trains, planes and automobiles!) to find Enfield stadium where they must suit up in football (well, soccer to us) gear and score two penalty kicks each against a professional goalkeeper.
-Dave feels like he's running with a lot of young bulls now and thinks it would be cool if they were the youngest and oldest to ever win the Amazing Race.
-Brendan & Rachel are next out at 11:16am - she takes off running as usual with no idea where she's going, he calms her down and they turn around to find a cab to the train station. They know they've had a couple challenges the last few legs but Rachel is just so proud she hasn't freaked out at all. (Well, isn't that tempting fate.)
-Afghanimals - 11:25am - Jamal has a knee brace on from his run in with some inflatable bulls last leg. He can't run full speed but he's not giving up. The 11th leg was when they were eliminated last season so they're feeling a little anxious - but determined to stay positive and make the final three.
-Country Singers - last out at 11:36am - "It's anyone's game at this point, so why couldn't it be our game?"
All the teams are on the same train and plane to London, England. At Heathrow airport they find the marked Ford Focus' and then they all have to figure out how to drive on the wrong side of the car and the wrong side of the road. Caroline got in the wrong side to drive (oops.)
-Brendan & Rachel get stuck in traffic on the freeway but the Afghanimals took a detour and avoided it. Making Leo & Jamal the first team to arrive at the soccer stadium. They are so excited! Soccer is one of the biggest sports in Afghanistan, this is a dream come true for them. They mug for the camera for a while, then choose the smaller goalkeeper to shoot against... and after all their build-up - they are not good at soccer. This could take a while. (Every kick hurts Jamal's knee and Leo keeps kicking it straight at the goalie.) Finally, they get a goal each and you'd think they just won the World's Cup.
-Caroline & Jen are the next team to arrive at the stadium followed closely by Brendan & Rachel (where the heck are Dave & Connor? Lost in England.)
-Leo & Jamal finish their goals and get the clue to head for the Pontcysslte Aqueduct and look for the next clue.
-Country singers are trying their hand (or I guess feet) at soccer and, yeah, not that I could do any better, but they could be there for a while. Their wimpy kicks were just dribbling up to the goalie... we'll see if they can sweet talk some goals past him. (Because you know they are trying.)
-Leo & Jamal are driving away from the stadium just as Dave & Conner finally arrive. (oof).
-Inside the stadium, Brendan & Rachel are starting on their kicks and Brendan started out strong, he got a goal on his first try (he's had some soccer experience.) The Country girls are still struggling but getting a bit more confident in their kicks, still no goals though.
-Brendan & Rachel finish and are leaving the field just as Dave & Connor made their way out... and Dave & Connor have never played soccer, judging by their first horrible kicks, either.
-Caroline & Jen start getting goals and finally make their four goals - Dave is able to find his rhythm and gets his 2 goals but Connor is the most uncoordinated with this feet, he can't get the kick while he's running, (come on youngin', figure it out...) finally he gets his two goals and they are dead last heading out for Wales and the "Stream in the Sky" aqueduct.
-Leo & Jamal stop at a gas station and ask patrons for directions, Rachel & Brendan stop at the same station but have the sense to go inside and ask the person working there. Both teams head out.
-Caroline & Jen are on the road to Wales, shocking for them, the navigation is going their way today.
-Leo & Jamal were just following Brenchel who didn't like that, so Brendon waited to the last second to take the exit and lost them. Don't underestimate the Brenchels.
-Caroline & Jen are the first team to the Aqueduct, followed very closely by Brendan & Rachel. They read the clue to the ROADBLOCK: Who gets high water remarks?
-In this task they have to choose a canal boat then work with an instructor inside to learn a traditional verse of Welsh poetry (yeah, that's not English at all) while crossing the aqueduct (takes about 15 minutes.) Once they get to the other side, they have to perform the verse and they have to get a pass from the Welsh linguist before they can get the next clue.
-Caroline & Brendon are doing this one. Oh my goodness... the letters don't have the same sounds - this is crazy hard.
-Leo & Jamal get to the aqueduct followed very closely by Dave & Connor who are excited to see they've made up some time. And it's Jamal and Connor doing the poetry lessons. Jamal is having flashbacks of last season when he had to learn a German song and pronounce everything right, so he should be good at this? Not so much. Connor is struggling with it too, like he's back in school trying to memorize, ugh.
-Brendan is the first to give it a try and he gets the first line out but stumbles and has to head back for more practice.
-Caroline - fails, back to practice.
-Jamal gets farther through it but he also has to practice more.
-Connor thinks he's nailed it but the linguist is a stickler and sends him back to practice some more.
-Brendan's second attempt - it's pouring rain on them (get that poor old lady an umbrella!) but he actually nails it this time and gets the clue.
-Caroline's second attempt and she passes as well - she gets to head back in the canal boat to find Jen.
Jamal's second attempt, he's all proud of himself but he forgot the last line. The cute old lady was trying to prompt him even... he's got to try again.
-Connor's second attempt and he repeated a couple words... and he's frustrated, "I don't know how they expect me to learn Welsh in 20 minutes." (Keep calm, mamma needs a new pair of shoes!)
-Jamal fails on the 3rd attempt too - he's so close but still not there.
-Connor fails again because he's not giving it any oomph.
-Brendan & Caroline get back to their partners and open the clues - but they both mumble/whispered the clue and I have no idea where they're headed.
-Jamal finally gets the poem on his 5th attempt.
-Connor gives it more oomph and he finally gets the clue heading out right after Jamal.
-Leo & Jamal read the clue loud and clear - they have to drive themselves to Bolesworth Estate and search for their next clue.
Bolesworth Estate - Brendan & Rachel are the first team to arrive and find the clue for the DETOUR: Boot it or Shoot it
-Shoot It requires teams to shoot down clay pigeons with a 12-gauge shotgun.
-Boot it requires teams to choose a pair of size 9 or size 11 Wellies (Wellington Boots), fill them with water, then step up to the starting line and start flinging the boots along a marked course until they reach the finish line.
-Brendan & Rachel decide to Boot it because she thinks it's too windy to be able to accurately shoot skeet... and they have to go change clothes (AH! What are they going to have to wear?)
-Caroline & Jen are the next team to the estate and Caroline is proud of their navigating this leg.
-Jamal & Leo had to stop to ask for directions and hope everyone else is lost as well. But they're not - Dave & Connor have also found the estate.
-Brendan & Rachel emerge in their English Country wardrobe, (Oh mumsy, how proper they look for some fox hunting or Wellie chucking. Hahaha)
-Rachel reads the clue that they need to find a pair or size 9 or 11 boots and while looking she changes to size 10... oops. They fill their boots and get throwing (much to the delight of the cast of Downton Abbey that has gathered to cheer them on... not the actual cast, but they are all in costume.)
-Caroline & Jen are getting suited up and they could be in a photo shoot for Town & Country magazine, the clothes are pretty awesome. Caroline says she enjoys wearing carpet (yes, lost of tweed going on.)
-Both the Country Singers and Dave & Connor are going to be shooting skeet. Connor was an Eagle Scout and he has a shotgun shooting merit badge... let's hope he's still got the chops! And Caroline is related to Daniel Boone so she's got some shooting in her blood... also her Dad taught them both how to shoot. Jen is the granddaughter of John Wayne as well so they are both game to play Annie Oakley.
-The girls get to Shoot It and it's explained they have to hit sixteen clay pigeons and break them to get the next clue. That's quite a lot.
-Dave & Connor head out, Connor thinks this could be tricky in the wind but since Leo & Jamal aren't there yet, they have a chance.
-Leo & Jamal ask a guy on the side of the road if he knows where Bolesworth castle is and he's never heard of it. They can't believe their navigation skills have deserted them at this crucial point in the race.
-The shooting starts, Caroline gets her first target on her first shot! Jen misses, Dave and Connor both miss.
-Brendan & Rachel are still chucking boots full of water around the course.
-Caroline is a sharp shooter, she's got them up to 5 when Jen finally gets one. Dave & Connor are coming on too - they have 5 and are really enjoying taking out all their Race aggression by shooting things.
-Leo & Jamal finally find someone who's heard of the estate and get directions.
-Caroline & Jen are the first team to hit sixteen pigeons and they get
the clue to drive themselves to Peckforton Castle, the PIT STOP for this leg of the race.
-Dave & Connor finish right after the girls and are heading out right on their tail. But the girls go right at the road and the guys decide to go left... both probably stopping later to look up where they're going.
-Brendon & Rachel are still chucking the boots - how is this taking longer than the shooting? They finally get to the finish, the course master takes a look at their boots and says, "Sorry, these are the wrong boots." And Rachel starts to lose it, whining and crying. Brendan reads the clue and it clearly said a size 9 or 11 and they have a size 10. Guess who has to do it all over again, with a whining, blubbering mess.
She keeps weeping and saying, "I didn't know." Finally he tells her to stop crying, they have to do it again - he gets the pair of size 11's and they start over.
-Leo & Jamal are quite dapper in their country gentlemen clothes and they prove to be pretty proficient with the guns too - hitting both their first pigeons.
-Back out on the road to the Pit Stop - the girls finally stop to ask for directions and find out they chose the wrong direction - they have to turn around and are miffed that Dave & Connor keep stealing their first places, "Rude."
-Shooting - Booting... Brendon & Rachel are the next team to get the clue to head for the Pit Stop. She's now apologizing for messing up and he just wants to focus on getting to the Pit Stop.
-Jamal & Leo get their sixteen pigeons shot and also head out for the Pit Stop... we'll see if their powers of navigation come back to them.
Here's How They Finished:
1) Dave & Connor - they secured their place in the final three and they won a trip for two to Fiji! Ooh, pretty.
2) Caroline & Jennifer - They haven't won a leg so far but they are saving it for the finale.
3) Brendon & Rachel - They need to take the lesson to READ THE CLUE and not just freak out.
4) Leo & Jamal - ELIMINATED! "Deja vu, all over again." No one took them out with a U-Turn, they took themselves out. (Apparently they're not meant to get past 4th place.) They will cherish the experience forever.
So, with Leo & Jamal eliminated, that takes Robert L., Nenad M., Lindsay J. and Ian G. out of the pool (at least they're not Moms - that would be a horrible Mother's Day present.)
Next week is the finale and the contenders for the money are:
Jen & Caroline: Bernice R., Sharon R., Lee B. and Bryon L.
Dave & Connor: Elaine R., Bob L., Coleen T. (me!) and Shelly A.
Brendon & Rachel: Shane B., Pat T., Katie L., and Tori K.
Next week: The finale in Las Vegas - they will be doing a daring escape with David Copperfield, changing light bulbs on the Mirage sign and it looks like the winning team will be skydiving down to the finish line! (Oh my Gravy!)
Have a great week everyone,
Coleen.
Last week, we heartbreakingly (for me anyway) said goodbye to the Cowboys when they were the team U-Turned by the Afghanimals; having to run the gauntlet with the blow-up bulls and then learn the Flamenco proved to be the undoing of the men in hats.
This leg, Dave & Connor were the first team to head out at 10:39am, they read the clue that they must make their way to Liverpool, England - by train from Spain, then by air to London and then driving themselves to Liverpool (trains, planes and automobiles!) to find Enfield stadium where they must suit up in football (well, soccer to us) gear and score two penalty kicks each against a professional goalkeeper.
-Dave feels like he's running with a lot of young bulls now and thinks it would be cool if they were the youngest and oldest to ever win the Amazing Race.
-Brendan & Rachel are next out at 11:16am - she takes off running as usual with no idea where she's going, he calms her down and they turn around to find a cab to the train station. They know they've had a couple challenges the last few legs but Rachel is just so proud she hasn't freaked out at all. (Well, isn't that tempting fate.)
-Afghanimals - 11:25am - Jamal has a knee brace on from his run in with some inflatable bulls last leg. He can't run full speed but he's not giving up. The 11th leg was when they were eliminated last season so they're feeling a little anxious - but determined to stay positive and make the final three.
-Country Singers - last out at 11:36am - "It's anyone's game at this point, so why couldn't it be our game?"
All the teams are on the same train and plane to London, England. At Heathrow airport they find the marked Ford Focus' and then they all have to figure out how to drive on the wrong side of the car and the wrong side of the road. Caroline got in the wrong side to drive (oops.)
-Brendan & Rachel get stuck in traffic on the freeway but the Afghanimals took a detour and avoided it. Making Leo & Jamal the first team to arrive at the soccer stadium. They are so excited! Soccer is one of the biggest sports in Afghanistan, this is a dream come true for them. They mug for the camera for a while, then choose the smaller goalkeeper to shoot against... and after all their build-up - they are not good at soccer. This could take a while. (Every kick hurts Jamal's knee and Leo keeps kicking it straight at the goalie.) Finally, they get a goal each and you'd think they just won the World's Cup.
-Caroline & Jen are the next team to arrive at the stadium followed closely by Brendan & Rachel (where the heck are Dave & Connor? Lost in England.)
-Leo & Jamal finish their goals and get the clue to head for the Pontcysslte Aqueduct and look for the next clue.
-Country singers are trying their hand (or I guess feet) at soccer and, yeah, not that I could do any better, but they could be there for a while. Their wimpy kicks were just dribbling up to the goalie... we'll see if they can sweet talk some goals past him. (Because you know they are trying.)
-Leo & Jamal are driving away from the stadium just as Dave & Conner finally arrive. (oof).
-Inside the stadium, Brendan & Rachel are starting on their kicks and Brendan started out strong, he got a goal on his first try (he's had some soccer experience.) The Country girls are still struggling but getting a bit more confident in their kicks, still no goals though.
-Brendan & Rachel finish and are leaving the field just as Dave & Connor made their way out... and Dave & Connor have never played soccer, judging by their first horrible kicks, either.
-Caroline & Jen start getting goals and finally make their four goals - Dave is able to find his rhythm and gets his 2 goals but Connor is the most uncoordinated with this feet, he can't get the kick while he's running, (come on youngin', figure it out...) finally he gets his two goals and they are dead last heading out for Wales and the "Stream in the Sky" aqueduct.
-Leo & Jamal stop at a gas station and ask patrons for directions, Rachel & Brendan stop at the same station but have the sense to go inside and ask the person working there. Both teams head out.
-Caroline & Jen are on the road to Wales, shocking for them, the navigation is going their way today.
-Leo & Jamal were just following Brenchel who didn't like that, so Brendon waited to the last second to take the exit and lost them. Don't underestimate the Brenchels.
-Caroline & Jen are the first team to the Aqueduct, followed very closely by Brendan & Rachel. They read the clue to the ROADBLOCK: Who gets high water remarks?
-In this task they have to choose a canal boat then work with an instructor inside to learn a traditional verse of Welsh poetry (yeah, that's not English at all) while crossing the aqueduct (takes about 15 minutes.) Once they get to the other side, they have to perform the verse and they have to get a pass from the Welsh linguist before they can get the next clue.
-Caroline & Brendon are doing this one. Oh my goodness... the letters don't have the same sounds - this is crazy hard.
-Leo & Jamal get to the aqueduct followed very closely by Dave & Connor who are excited to see they've made up some time. And it's Jamal and Connor doing the poetry lessons. Jamal is having flashbacks of last season when he had to learn a German song and pronounce everything right, so he should be good at this? Not so much. Connor is struggling with it too, like he's back in school trying to memorize, ugh.
-Brendan is the first to give it a try and he gets the first line out but stumbles and has to head back for more practice.
-Caroline - fails, back to practice.
-Jamal gets farther through it but he also has to practice more.
-Connor thinks he's nailed it but the linguist is a stickler and sends him back to practice some more.
-Brendan's second attempt - it's pouring rain on them (get that poor old lady an umbrella!) but he actually nails it this time and gets the clue.
-Caroline's second attempt and she passes as well - she gets to head back in the canal boat to find Jen.
Jamal's second attempt, he's all proud of himself but he forgot the last line. The cute old lady was trying to prompt him even... he's got to try again.
-Connor's second attempt and he repeated a couple words... and he's frustrated, "I don't know how they expect me to learn Welsh in 20 minutes." (Keep calm, mamma needs a new pair of shoes!)
-Jamal fails on the 3rd attempt too - he's so close but still not there.
-Connor fails again because he's not giving it any oomph.
-Brendan & Caroline get back to their partners and open the clues - but they both mumble/whispered the clue and I have no idea where they're headed.
-Jamal finally gets the poem on his 5th attempt.
-Connor gives it more oomph and he finally gets the clue heading out right after Jamal.
-Leo & Jamal read the clue loud and clear - they have to drive themselves to Bolesworth Estate and search for their next clue.
Bolesworth Estate - Brendan & Rachel are the first team to arrive and find the clue for the DETOUR: Boot it or Shoot it
-Shoot It requires teams to shoot down clay pigeons with a 12-gauge shotgun.
-Boot it requires teams to choose a pair of size 9 or size 11 Wellies (Wellington Boots), fill them with water, then step up to the starting line and start flinging the boots along a marked course until they reach the finish line.
-Brendan & Rachel decide to Boot it because she thinks it's too windy to be able to accurately shoot skeet... and they have to go change clothes (AH! What are they going to have to wear?)
-Caroline & Jen are the next team to the estate and Caroline is proud of their navigating this leg.
-Jamal & Leo had to stop to ask for directions and hope everyone else is lost as well. But they're not - Dave & Connor have also found the estate.
-Brendan & Rachel emerge in their English Country wardrobe, (Oh mumsy, how proper they look for some fox hunting or Wellie chucking. Hahaha)
-Rachel reads the clue that they need to find a pair or size 9 or 11 boots and while looking she changes to size 10... oops. They fill their boots and get throwing (much to the delight of the cast of Downton Abbey that has gathered to cheer them on... not the actual cast, but they are all in costume.)
-Caroline & Jen are getting suited up and they could be in a photo shoot for Town & Country magazine, the clothes are pretty awesome. Caroline says she enjoys wearing carpet (yes, lost of tweed going on.)
-Both the Country Singers and Dave & Connor are going to be shooting skeet. Connor was an Eagle Scout and he has a shotgun shooting merit badge... let's hope he's still got the chops! And Caroline is related to Daniel Boone so she's got some shooting in her blood... also her Dad taught them both how to shoot. Jen is the granddaughter of John Wayne as well so they are both game to play Annie Oakley.
-The girls get to Shoot It and it's explained they have to hit sixteen clay pigeons and break them to get the next clue. That's quite a lot.
-Dave & Connor head out, Connor thinks this could be tricky in the wind but since Leo & Jamal aren't there yet, they have a chance.
-Leo & Jamal ask a guy on the side of the road if he knows where Bolesworth castle is and he's never heard of it. They can't believe their navigation skills have deserted them at this crucial point in the race.
-The shooting starts, Caroline gets her first target on her first shot! Jen misses, Dave and Connor both miss.
-Brendan & Rachel are still chucking boots full of water around the course.
-Caroline is a sharp shooter, she's got them up to 5 when Jen finally gets one. Dave & Connor are coming on too - they have 5 and are really enjoying taking out all their Race aggression by shooting things.
-Leo & Jamal finally find someone who's heard of the estate and get directions.
-Caroline & Jen are the first team to hit sixteen pigeons and they get
the clue to drive themselves to Peckforton Castle, the PIT STOP for this leg of the race.
-Dave & Connor finish right after the girls and are heading out right on their tail. But the girls go right at the road and the guys decide to go left... both probably stopping later to look up where they're going.
-Brendon & Rachel are still chucking the boots - how is this taking longer than the shooting? They finally get to the finish, the course master takes a look at their boots and says, "Sorry, these are the wrong boots." And Rachel starts to lose it, whining and crying. Brendan reads the clue and it clearly said a size 9 or 11 and they have a size 10. Guess who has to do it all over again, with a whining, blubbering mess.
She keeps weeping and saying, "I didn't know." Finally he tells her to stop crying, they have to do it again - he gets the pair of size 11's and they start over.
-Leo & Jamal are quite dapper in their country gentlemen clothes and they prove to be pretty proficient with the guns too - hitting both their first pigeons.
-Back out on the road to the Pit Stop - the girls finally stop to ask for directions and find out they chose the wrong direction - they have to turn around and are miffed that Dave & Connor keep stealing their first places, "Rude."
-Shooting - Booting... Brendon & Rachel are the next team to get the clue to head for the Pit Stop. She's now apologizing for messing up and he just wants to focus on getting to the Pit Stop.
-Jamal & Leo get their sixteen pigeons shot and also head out for the Pit Stop... we'll see if their powers of navigation come back to them.
Here's How They Finished:
1) Dave & Connor - they secured their place in the final three and they won a trip for two to Fiji! Ooh, pretty.
2) Caroline & Jennifer - They haven't won a leg so far but they are saving it for the finale.
3) Brendon & Rachel - They need to take the lesson to READ THE CLUE and not just freak out.
4) Leo & Jamal - ELIMINATED! "Deja vu, all over again." No one took them out with a U-Turn, they took themselves out. (Apparently they're not meant to get past 4th place.) They will cherish the experience forever.
So, with Leo & Jamal eliminated, that takes Robert L., Nenad M., Lindsay J. and Ian G. out of the pool (at least they're not Moms - that would be a horrible Mother's Day present.)
Next week is the finale and the contenders for the money are:
Jen & Caroline: Bernice R., Sharon R., Lee B. and Bryon L.
Dave & Connor: Elaine R., Bob L., Coleen T. (me!) and Shelly A.
Brendon & Rachel: Shane B., Pat T., Katie L., and Tori K.
Next week: The finale in Las Vegas - they will be doing a daring escape with David Copperfield, changing light bulbs on the Mirage sign and it looks like the winning team will be skydiving down to the finish line! (Oh my Gravy!)
Have a great week everyone,
Coleen.
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