Monday, October 13, 2014

The Amazing Race 25 - Oct 10/14 Episode Recap

Get Your Sheep Together

Last week my team Isabelle & Dennis were eliminated in England and the Surfers came in first place also earning an Express Pass (and thankfully beating the McFakerson Dentists.)
Adam & Bethany are the first team to head out at 12am - they read the clue to travel by land and sea (train and ferry) to the Shetland Islands, Scotland.  Once there they must drive to the Lifeboat institute and find a guy in a puffin suit to get their next clue.  They find out the train station is just up the street.
12:16am - Dentists are heading out and Jim says leaving in 2nd place frustrates him (ugh) but the most successful people in life fail forward and they are not going home today no matter what happens (his eyes are all bugged out, this guy is really a piece of work.)  They jump in a cab and Adam & Bethany tell them the train station is within walking distance so they decide to stick together and head on over.
12:22am - Kym & Alli
12:38am - Keith & Whitney  - they are all running for the train station.

-When the first teams arrive at the station they find out the first train doesn't leave until after 6am... so they will all be on the same train.

1:56am - the firefighters go running by and we hear Scott cry out in pain... "I took a huge dixie." (I've never heard that expression) but he rolled his ankle really badly.  He thought he broke it but he got up and kept go, if at a slower hobbling pace.

When the Cyclists, Kym and Alli found out they had to wait 6 hours for the train they decided to check out Oxford, they say the rest of the teams are square, just camping out at the train station.  These two go skipping through the streets then find a pub to dance their little hearts out... outside in the street.  (Maybe you might want to conserve some of that energy for the race?? Of course if you have the time why not have some fun... I'm torn if this was reckless or cool.  Sometimes it seems these two are trying too hard to be bad-ass.)

6:38am - they are all on the train - for 8 hours - and we see some
beautiful scenery.

Aberdeen, Scotland - they get off the train and run for the cars... well, everyone but the Firefighters are running cause Scott's ankle is hooped.  They all get into the cars and realize they have to drive on the wrong side of the car and road.  But everyone gets on the same ferry without incident.
-Then Scott reveals the black bruise on his ankle to everyone... it looks awful.  He ices and elevates it on the ferry ride but "it still looks like a football."  He says Mike is like a brother to him, he literally trusts him with his life and with Scott's injury Mike may have to step up a bit more but they are still going to make it work. (I don't know, I think they're toast.)

Shetland Islands - Firefighters and Scientists are the first two teams to find the puffin and they get the clue to drive to Scalloway Castle and search the castle for the next clue.  Dentists and Survivors are the next teams to get the clue and they all take off for the Castle.
Firefighters get stuck behind a native island driver who was in no hurry to get anywhere... (yeah, that would have driven me nuts).
-Whitney & Keith say this is their three year anniversary leg, it was three years ago that they met on Survivor.
Keith & Whitney are the first team to the castle - they find a skeleton and then they also have a big scary dude standing by the pile of bones where they clues where (creepy!) - They get the clue to the DETOUR:
Pony Up or Light My Fire.
-Pony Up - there are almost no trees on the Shetland Islands so locals use peat to fuel their fires - in this task they must cut 50 blocks of peat from the ground with a special spade, then, working with a Shetland pony they must deliver two loads of peat to the little house up the hill. (Uh oh, working with animals is often the kiss of death on the Race.)
-Light My Fire - Vikings inhabited the islands 1200 years ago - in this task they must properly build a viking torch - when it is approved and lit by the Vikings, they'll get their next clue.
All the teams are getting to the castle and choosing the tasks... except Tim & Te Jay who are horribly lost.  They finally stop and ask directions and realize they went the wrong direction ... (wait, Tim doesn't know what a quarry is - how is that possible?)

-The Dentists are going to do Pony Up and Jim is confident this is where they will make up time - from watching the show he's sure that if you can do the physical challenges efficiently, they are usually quicker and he has such supreme confidence in his physical abilities, this will be a breeze. (My  Mom called him a blowhard - exactly!)  Misti is just worried about the pony, she'd dealt with a Shetland before and it was "sassy!"

-Keith is worried about exactly that and they decide to build the torch.  First they have to find the store to collect the supplies, then find the shed where they will be building the torches.
-Firefighters and Cyclists also show up to build torches.

-Tim & Te Jay have finally found the castle - they are the last team and decide to build the torch.

-Pony Up - Mom & Daughter, Shelley & Nici are trying to cut peat - Soul Surfers show up and Bethany is hoping this is do-able.  Adam is cutting the peat and she sizes up the situation and starts placing the blocks he cuts, picking them up with her one arm - she is totally amazing, you never hear a word of complaint, she never says 'I can't'... some of these other teams could learn a thing or two from her.
-Dentist Jim is bragging that his 29th cut is just as easy as the first - he got into competitive weightlifting in college so pushing his body past the pain is nothing new to him (and maybe that explains the horrible fake tan?)
-Scientists Maya & Amy are having real trouble cutting the peat, neither one of them are able to push the spade through the peat... (well, keep trying or switch tasks.)  Finally they figured out the angle they needed to use and it was much easier - they used physics... way to go scientists!

-Wrestlers wanted to do Pony Up but ended up finding the torch building challenge instead and right away Brooke is complaining - "Oh man, this is going to be hard." (She has the worst attitude - if you start out thinking it's going to be hard, it's going to be hard, sheesh. She needs to spend more time with Bethany.)

Torch building - there are three very tough steps and after each step they had to get it approved before they could move on.  The demonstater was going really fast and they are all having trouble catching what exactly they needed to do.
Step 1 - roll the burlap really tightly around the stick and nail it in place.  Keith & Whitney fail.

Pony Up - the Dentists have finished cutting the peat and they fill two saddle bags on their pony who runs right up the hill - Jim & Misti said the run up the hill was even more challenging than cutting the peat.

Torches - Brooke is still complaining, "I'm so over this." (Ugh, I'm so over her.)
-Keith & Whitney are frustrated and fighting - and all the teams start passing Step 1 - except the negative-nelly wrestlers - whine, whine, we can't learn fast enough - I knew this would be hard... (She is driving me crazy.)

Pony Up - Shelley & Nici and Adam & Bethany have cut their 50 peat bricks and start up the hill.  Jim & Misti have loaded up their pony for their second trip up the hill and that Pony was done!  He starts pulling back on the rope, and charging Jim... it was scary.

Torches - Step 2 - was a thousand times harder - they have to wrap another burlap sack around the first one and then nail it all over so it's tufted including bending over a nail on the top.  And the wrestlers can't figure out how to bend the nail, "should we bend it first?" (Oh, these two are definitely not rocket surgeons.)
-These teams are taking so long trying to make their torches that Tim is wishing the ponies are really aggressive... (His wish is their command.)

-We come on Shelley & Nici also running from and wrestling with the pony trying to get it up the hill.  Jim & Adam are luckily able to strong arm their ponies to get them up the hill and get the clue to make their way to Berry Farm in Scalloway.
-Jim & Misti are the first team to leave and in his mind that's the way it should always be - if they get there first, there is no way another team should pass them. (So basically he's saying, "I'm so great, everyone should know how great I am.")
-Shelley & Nici also finish the Pony challenge.

Back at the torches they've mostly moved on to Step 3 which is mixing up some cement and coating the bottom of the burlap to seal it.  Wrestler Brooke is still being Debbie Downer and they're still a step behind.  Cyclists are the first team to get their torch approved and they head out to find the Vikings at the dock... but they can't find them (this is proving to be a deceptively difficult challenge, that's for sure.)

-Soul Surfers finish delivering their peat and also the Scientists finish - they had no problem with their pony, which they named "Cupcake." (Must be nice for them, I think the other teams would be happy never to see a Shetland Pony again.)

Torches - Tim & Te Jay, Whitney & Keith and the Firefighters all complete their torches and the Wrestlers are their own worst enemies - still trying to bend a nail (really?)  They do better once everyone is gone though, when they don't have the pressure of the other teams around, they can get it done.
-Tim & Te Jay are the first to find the Vikings and get their torch burned - they head for Berry Farm.

Berry Farm - McFakerson Dentists are the first to arrive and they get the clue that they have to work like dogs... sheepdogs that is - they have to corral a flock of sheep down the centre of a course and into a pen... what the...? Are they flying sheep?  I've never seen sheep jump that much, they are flying all over the place - Crazy!
Once the sheep are contained they'll get their next clue which is a piece of celtic jewelry.
-And Jim says the corralling of the sheep is "damn near impossible."  Oy, and they thought the ponies were bad.

Back at the Viking dock - everyone is burning their torches... and finally the wrestlers get approved.

It was fun watching the Dentists run around but finally they got most of the sheep in the pen just as Shelley & Nici showed up, followed closely by the Soul Surfers.  Shelley says, "This is going to be easy, and fun." (Ha, hahaha, she's in for a rude awakening.)

-The dentists finish and when handed the piece of jewelry are told to "Go where this was found."  They have to figure out that the Pit Stop is St Ninian's Isle made famous after the discovery of 8th century treasure.  The Dentists go to the island museum and find out where they need to go.  Jim, "We knew we were the team to beat coming in, difference is, now everyone else knows it too." (Ugh.)

-Wrestlers finally burn their torch and are in last place.

-There is still a lot of sheep wrangling going on and no one is having much luck... but it was pretty amusing watching them chase around the sproingy sheep.
-The torch challenge teams start to show up at the sheep task and see all the pony people are still there.
-The Scientists prove to have calming abilities with the sheep as well and they are the second team to get their flock penned.
-Adam & Bethany had a sheep miracle when they were too exhausted to chase the sheep anymore and calmly walked them down the course, they just went right in the pen - huh!

-Scientists ask some local tradesmen where the piece of jewelry was found and they directly back to Scalloway Castle (NO! That's not right.)

-Whitney is bossy but polite to the sheep and they do her bidding, firmly talking to them then thanking them for getting in the pen. (Well, there you go - it seems calm and steady is the ticket here.)
-The Firefighters show up and Scott is hobbling pretty badly - this is going to be so tough for him.

-Adam & Bethany also find the museum and get the correct location of the Pit Stop.

-Tim & Te Jay have no way with sheep but they can totally sound like them - they resort to taking off clothing and tying it together to use as a barrier to guide the sheep into the pen - but they just hop right over it... D'oh!

 -Wrestlers show up to the sheep challenge and appear useless... Brooke is screaming in frustration immediately. (Sigh.)  But they end up getting all their sheep corralled rather quickly (these two should always stick to the physical challenges.)
- Firefighters have no luck - and poor Scott can't run after the sheep.  He falls again and starts yelling that they should take the 4 hour penalty.  Mike doesn't want to do that, it's way too long.  There is a commercial break and then miraculously the firefighters sheep go into the pen, which I notice have carrots strewn all over the ground (hey!)
-That leaves Tim & Te Jay with a string of clothes and no penned sheep.

-The Scientists are still unable to figure out where the Pit Stop is - they visit a church- nope, not there.
-The Firefighters decide to ask at the local bar where the piece of jewelry was found and the patrons have no idea, maybe they mean a foundry - and the firefighters head out of town (NOOOO!)

-Tim & Te Jay finally get their sheep penned and still feel alright because they know they can beat the firefighters in a foot race.

-The firefighters get to the town the bar patrons sent them to and they ask at a jewelry store, she tells them where they should actually have gone.  Mike, "Bad directions are worse than no directions." (Maybe next time try the museum instead of the bar.)

-Tim & Te Jay find the museum and find out where the piece of jewelry was found.  They worked too hard to be there, to go out on sheep would be devastating. (I can't help but think going out on anything would be devastating, don't blame the poor little sheep. Heh heh.)

 Here's How They Finished:
1) Jim & Misti (McFakerson/Dentists) - they won a trip for two to Dubai.  Jim wants to establish themselves as the most dominant team ever on the Amazing Race (which makes me root for their demise... is that bad?)
2) Adam & Bethany (SoulSurfers)- she wants to go swimming but according to the Puffin standing with Phil, it's a little chilly. (So they may not be the smartest team, but I still think she's amazing.)
3) Keith & Whitney (Survivors) - they don't care if people think their manner with each other is harsh - "it works for us and that's all that matters."
4) Shelly & Nici (Mom & Daughter)
5) Amy & Maya (Scientists)
6) Robbie & Brooke - (Wrestlers) they overtook the Cyclists in a foot race to the mat.
7) Kym & Alli (Cyclists)
8) Tim & Te Jay - somehow they did some overtaking and are still in the Race - then they had the most awkward almost hi-5, almost hug I've ever seen (are you sure you're a couple?)
9) Michael & Scott - Firefighters are ELIMINATED from the Race.
They had a great time but a broken paw, sheep and asking directions at the bar instead of the museum were their undoing.
And with the Firefighters leaving, that takes Bryon L, Robert & Cindi, Drew C., Sharon R. and Pat T. out of the pool.

Next week: they head to Copenhagen where the cyclists are right at home on bikes and other teams fall apart - with Nici walking away from Mom on the mat... WHHATT? is that all about?

Hope everyone had a great turkey day! 

Coleen

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