Sunday, May 10, 2015

The Amazing Race - May 8/15 Episode Recap

In It To Win It

Last week the teams raced to Peru where Blair & Hayley fought their way to a first place finish sponsored by Fit Bit and Matt & Ashley were unable to catch up after the non-elimination last week, and went home.

We're down to the final four teams and they are all competing for their spot in the final leg - the episode started with Tyler owning his little temper tantrum from the previous leg, when the potatoes were all dumped on the ground - he's in it to win it and if he has to start playing more aggressively that's what he's going to do.

Blair & Hayley were the first team out at 6:39am, they read the clue that they are staying in Peru - they have to head back down to Trujillo at sea level and search for the largest mosaic in South America - it's a two mile long, 10ft high wall of tiny mosaic tiles.  They have to retrieve a magnifying glass from a clown, then search the wall for a marked tile which will show them their next clue (oof.)
-It's funny how Blair & Hayley have developed a relationship where he can bug her about her shrill screaming by saying one of her strengths is how she is always whispering... and she goes along - at least they can laugh about it.

-Jelani & Jenny - 7:19am - They started the Race out hot, then cooled down but now are hoping to just blaze through it today to get to the finale.

-Hayley & Blair get to the mosaic wall and realize it's huge - they look for the clown and retrieve the magnifying glasses then realize they have to look on the wall for the clue... which they seem to find right away (how did that happen?) - they peel the red and yellow striped sticker off the tile and run back to the clown who hands them their next clue - well, teases them a little but finally hands them the clue to the DETOUR - Shake Your Hips or Make Some Bricks
-In Shake Your Hips - they have to learn a traditional courtship dance (the dancing ones always take forever - but - Costumes!)
-In Make Some Bricks - they must make 12 bricks as part of a conservation project at an archeological site - then they must transport 12 dry bricks to the work site to receive the next clue.
-Blair & Hayley choose to make some bricks and as they get in the cab they know how lucky they were finding the clue on the wall so fast - they were able to get out of there before Jenny & Jelani even showed up.

-Speaking of whom, J & J just showed up at the wall and they have a picture of a piece of the wall as a clue  (Oh, no wonder it went so quickly for Hayley & Blair.)  They are looking for Hayley & Blair... but don't seem to be looking for the clown (hmm) - and they just start walking along the wall trying to match the picture.

-Mike & Rochelle are the next out at 8:35am... if their cab will start (uh oh)... they are lamenting the fact that the first two teams have such a lead on them - it's almost like they are just racing against Tyler & Laura at this point, who are heading out right behind them at 8:48am.  Mike & Rochelle are the last surviving couple among the blind daters and they feel like they need the money the most - $1million would probably buy the town they're from.

-Tyler & Laura know they only have to beat one team today and they'll be in the race for the million.  They feel good today.

-Jenny & Jelani have finally found the part of the wall in their picture and they have the magnifying glasses so they found the clown and the little marked tile - they get the clue from the clown - do a shimmy dance and take off for the Dancing Detour (brave.)

-Hayley & Blair arrive at the archeological site "Chan Chan" and watch a guy make a brick, then they just have to do the same - 12 times.  Their first attempt, was horrible... this may take some time.

-Meanwhile, Mike & Rochelle's cab sounds like it's on it's last legs and they are fighting over the 'Oh Shit' handle in the back seat as it seems like they're just coasting down the mountain instead of actually using the brakes.

-Jenny & Jelani get to the Shake Your Hips Detour and they get to dress up (Yay, the costumes are really nice.) They have to learn the foot work and always have their heads up and always be looking at each other... yeah, the dancing ones are always difficult.

-Mike & Rochelle's cab driver finally has to pull over as his brakes are smoking... this does not bode well for Team Truckstop Love - but at least they are still alive!
-And there go Tyler & Laura, driving on by and super happy to see Mike & Rochelle broken down on the side of the road.  They did say the feel kind of sorry for Mike & Rochelle, they wish it was actually Blair & Hayley broken down - losing a million dollars to nimrod and nimrod just won't sit very well.

-Meanwhile the nimrods in question, Blair & Hayley, are getting dirty making their bricks and they are not doing very well, the guy comes to inspect and rejects them all by stepping on them - all but three that is.  He tells them to watch and they get another demonstration and realize they need to really slam the wet sand in the mold to get the corners right.  They start again.

-Jenny & Jelani are getting their instruction and it's always, smile, look at him, get closer... Jenny's got to pretend she's not got ice water in her veins and it's not easy for her.

-Mike & Rochelle finally get a new cab but they've lost a bunch of time - Rochelle, "This blows."

-Blair & Hayley are moving right along with the bricks and there is no fighting because they are on the same page - they finally got twelve passable bricks made and move on to the delivery.  They pile twelve bricks into the wheelbarrow and Blair promptly dumps them over (little heavier than he expected) - so they're going to start with six bricks in the wheelbarrow and Hayley starts, "we probably just doubled our time..." (I knew it was too good to be true.)

-Back at the Dancing - Jenny & Jelani are making their first attempt at the dance... they do pretty well with the steps but Jelani didn't stand up straight with his chest out enough and they didn't have enough eye contact... they have to try again.

-Tyler & Laura have gotten to the mosaic wall and they are bickering - Tyler wants to show her what to look for and she thinks she knows better...

-Mike & Rochelle have made it down the mountain and they are hoping this mosaic wall will slow down Tyler & Laura, they know anything can happen so they are not losing hope.

-Bricks - it's currently 94 deg F. and Blair has to take a break from pushing the heavy wheelbarrow - Hayley tries to spell him but only makes it about 20ft (my blisters) until he has to take over again... and they are being really nice and supportive of each other - it seems wrong.  They deliver the first 6 bricks and have to go back for their second load.

-Mosaic wall - Tyler & Laura find the birds in their picture and Tyler finds the marked tile - they head back to the clown.
-Meanwhile Mike & Rochelle have been screwed again by being dropped off in the wrong place and then finding a clown, who is not the right clown (Man! I hate it when a cab driver determines the outcome of a leg.)
-Tyler is not very impressed by the clowns antics teasing them with the clue - but he finally reluctantly claps so the clown gives over the clue - they choose to make the bricks. 

-Blair & Hayley finish delivering all 12 bricks and get the clue to make their way to Hauanchaco to find their next clue.

-Jenny & Jelani are dancing again and he keeps getting his poncho flipped over his head - they don't pass again... (See, never choose a dancing task unless you're a pro - just saying.)

-Mike & Rochelle finally stumble upon the right clown, Mike knocks over his balloon stick and pops some (bull in a china shop that guy) but they seem to find the marked tile rather quickly.

-Tyler & Laura get to Chan Chan and watch the brick prep - they approach it like making a cake - she preps the pan and he preps the dough... their first brick looked pretty good.

-Blair & Hayley get to the next clue box and it's the clue to the ROADBLOCK - Who wants to ride a sea horse?  Blair does!
-They have to carry a reed boat (one of the earliest forms of surfboard) down to the water then one team member will paddle out over punishing surf with a bamboo pole to a buoy to retrieve the next clue, then they can catch a wave back to their partner on the beach.
-Blair just hopes he doesn't suck at this.

-Back at the Bricks - Mike & Rochelle show up and see Tyler & Laura are still there - that's a good sign... but now both teams are making mistakes as they rush to try and out-do the other team - they know they are battling for third place so it's desperation time for both of them.
-Mike & Rochelle can't get the hang of the bricks so they decide to switch tasks (oh no... they can't blame that decision on the cab driver) They feel like it's a gamble they have to take.

-Blair & Hayley have found the reed boats and they're not that easy to carry - of course she's complaining right away - this isn't very fun (oh he better be good on the water cause it looks like the happy Hayley juice has worn off.)

-Jenny & Jelani finally get a pass on their dance after their third attempt - that's not so bad - they get the clue to head for the Roadblock.

-Blair is excited to be doing this task, he has a stand up paddle board at home so he's pretty confident he can do well at this... until he tries to get on the boat and it dumps him off immediately (Uh oh.) There is definitely going to be a learning curve - the boat is not stable and keeps rolling... fun.

-Mike & Rochelle get to the dancing and they look great in their costumes... as for the dancing - we know learning the dances is not Rochelle's strong suit and it's not gotten better, she's lost right away.

-Tyler & Laura are still making bricks in the blazing sun - the foreman steps on four of their bricks (which isn't too bad - he took out at least eight of Blair & Hayley's the first time).

-Blair finally gets the balance of the boat and makes it out to the buoy to retrieve the clue.

-Jenny & Jelani get to the Roadblock clue and she tells him he wants to ride a seahorse (are you sure? I know it's a stereotype but do we know if Jelani is any good in the water?)

-Tyler & Laura get a pass on their 12 bricks and move on to the delivery portion - he says if they can get 12 bricks in the wheelbarrow he'll push it... so he struggles up to the wall thinking the delivery is right there... but then the gates of hell opened up and he sees it's really far away... but he soldiers on with all twelve bricks at once.

-Mike & Rochelle are making their first attempt at the dance and they look to be doing pretty well... but they get the same feedback as Jenny & Jelani did - they have to keep their chests out, shoulders back and make more eye contact.  Apparently it's an issue for Rochelle to fake smile - really?  Then you're going to be there a long time.

-Jenny & Jelani have found the reed boats and they start carrying it to the beach.

-Blair gets back to Hayley with the clue to the PIT STOP - Virgen Del Socorro - they have to make their way on foot to search for Phil.

-Tyler & Laura finally get to the brick drop, she's carrying one brick and he's muscling along with the rest - when they finally get to the end and are unloading the bricks, Laura dropped one and broke a big piece off a corner - the guy sees it and rejects that brick - they have to do it twice anyway (I'd be so pissed if I were Tyler... but Mike & Rochelle are never going to finish the dancing so they're alright.)

-And they show us Mike & Rochelle not finishing the dancing again. (I don't know what they were thinking choosing to do a dancing task, the two previous dancing challenges they did weren't exactly easy for them.)

-Jenny & Jelani have gotten the reed boat to the water and Jelani quickly starts getting his butt kicked by the ocean.  The boat was riding him more than the other way around which Jenny seemed to find it pretty humorous.

-Tyler & Laura go get one more brick and he runs back with it the whole way - making her run too - "This is a million dollar run!"  They head for the Roadblock.

-Mike & Rochelle fail again - she messed up her foot work - and with the frustration the water works begin (come on Rochelle, you can do this.)  She has a drink of water and a cry and she's good to go.

-Jelani figured out a technique to stay on the boat that worked for him - lying down on his back... which got him out to the buoy and back pretty slowly, but it still worked - they head for the Pit Stop.

-Roadblock - Laura & Tyler get to the clue box and it tells them that Laura & Rochelle have to do this task since Tyler has already done five Roadblocks, it's all Laura... except carrying the boat, she made Tyler do that all on his own (sheesh, lady.)

-Mike & Rochelle finally get a pass on the dancing - and it did look like they were having fun with it by the end - that could have just been the giddy relief of finally getting a pass - but they head for the Roadblock too.

-Laura starts out pretty well on the boat, she seems to have the balance down but then the waves get her and she goes over.  Tyler is just hoping Mike & Rochelle are still behind them, cause this could take a while.

-Mike & Rochelle get there and know they have to hurry - they run and grab the boat and head for the beach.

-Laura has made it out to the buoy and heads back with the clue - and they take off for the Pit Stop before Mike & Rochelle get there.

-Rochelle unfortunately isn't gifted with a natural ability to do the boating and she's beaten up pretty good by the waves - she's gotten to the whiny, "I can't do it." stage but Mike is nothing but encouraging, "I know you can do it, think of all the things you thought you couldn't do that you've done." (Yeah!)
-Uh oh, Rochelle's out of the water and having a cry again - but she thinks of her son and finally gets on the boat and gets that clue.

 Here's How They Finished:
1) Blair & Hayley - The won a trip to Goa, India - and secured their place in the finale.
2) Jenny & Jelani - they are also going to be in the finale.
3) Laura & Tyler - they are going to be in the finale.
4) Mike & Rochelle - Phil tells them he's sorry to tell them they are the last team to arrive but they are not eliminated - they are still racing - and he hands them a clue to head for Dallas, Texas.  Through the tears and amazement, Phil also tells them that he will be eliminating a team before the end of the last leg so they have some catching up to do... (no sh*t Sherlock.)  I hope they can do it - everyone loves an underdog!

So no elimination, here are the people still with a stake in our Pool:
Blair & Hayley: Kim A., Hardeep & Harjeet, Sue S., Miranne D. and Chandra K.
Jenny & Jelani: Shelley A., Patty F., Andria S., Pat T. and Robert L.
Tyler & Laura: Sia D., Kevin R., Cindi & Robert, Sharon R. and Bob L.
Mike & Rochelle: Lee B., Sue & Hannelore, Philip K., Sandy G. and Jeff T.

Next week is the finale - in Texas, there is football, monster trucks and horse back riding... Hee Haw!

Good Luck everybody!

Coleen

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