Amazing Race 11/11/2012

Cafe Society
1

As much as I like the Rockers as people, (steady, rational, independent) I just can’t feel even remotely sorry for a team that had already fucked themselves over once by being careless with their belongings, (leaving all of their money sitting around in a travel agency for any sumbag thieves to help themselves to ) but by then forgetting his passport in the cab, Abba (or was it James?) has probably cost himself, (and even more importantly his supposed “good friend”) a shot at a million bucks.

I was thoroughly impressed with how calm, cool and collected the non-passport loser handled the situation, as I think I would have not been able to stop myself from letting him know how thoughtless, and in many ways selfish it is to be so cavalier about something so basic, yet vital, even though telling him off would clearly do no one any good.

2

Same here. The lack of drama actually made me respect them even more than I already had. Then of course they had to end it with Phil’s cliffhanger of “You are the fourth team to arrive BUT who doesn’t have their passport?” (I’m paraphrasing here, of course)

OTOH, Express Pass or not, I hope something swats the twins. Hard.

I also keep thinking that something is going to save the farmers and Abbie/Ryan. I realize that the farmers still have to do a speed bump and therefore it’s a foregone conclusion they’ll be eliminated, I still have a tiny ray of hope for them.

3

No, they did their speed bump last week. The Turkish ice cream?

4

I’d be willing to bet that this was scheduled to be a Non-elimination Leg, and and the rockers messed it up. I bet the producers were PISSED!

5

Agreed. I think they’re tired and one of them is in pain and they pretty much want to be done. Even when teams leave their things in cabs while they’re doing a task, they usually still have their passports on them.

The farmers did their speedbump in the last leg (eating the ice cream).

I was actually fairly impressed with Trey and Lexi. They were pretty calm and reasonable throughout the library task. But, man, Lexi needs to stop hinting around about getting a ring on her finger. I was embarrassed for her.

6

I was out of the room for a second and missed what happened with the rockers. They were starting on the lock task, then next thing I know they’re running down the street looking for their cab. Did they pay the driver and forget to grab their stuff?

7

I missed the details on that, too. I was chasing down The Wife, because on Saturday we went into New York and walked the Brooklyn Bridge (among other things - South Street Seaport was really hit hard by Sandy). This is the first time I noticed all the padlocks people had placed there, some engraved and some with just Sharpie writing.

I Googled them up when we got home, learned the backstory, and found that on a bridge in Moscow they set up special iron trees specifically for Lover’s Locks.

I thought it an amazing coincidence (see what I did there) that something was featured on the Race that I was reseraching less than 24 hours earlier.

8

Wel, I’m really excited about this episode, because we went to Russia last year, so this is the first time that I’ve been to a place shown on the Race before they’ve Raced through there. Recognizing some landmarks from personal experience adds a fun element to the show.

Taxi Assessment:

Stuck in the Desert and Officially Detained - or, Philiminated with extreme prejudice.
Rob & Sheila and Amy & Daniel and Caitlin & Brittany and Gary & Will and Rob & Kelley - Already eliminated.

Flat Tire - or, not likely to get anywhere soon.
No one.

Stopping for Gas - or, not broken-down, exactly, but not a good sign.
Josh & Brent (holding steady) - Josh & Brent are way behind, but they have two consolations: James & Abba are in worse shape, and they’re tied with Abbie & Ryan. Still, someone has to be eliminated first, and if James & Abba can come up with something (see my comments below), then Josh & Brent lose to Abbie & Ryan in almost any conceivable end-game scenario, and they’re currently looking unlikely to finish their Detour option. Unless they’re all planning on jumping on the mat at once, which would make an interesting conundrum for Phil.
James & Abba (down from “Rapido!”) - Having your stuff taken by the cabbie sucks, but going anywhere without your passport on your person is a rookie mistake. I’d almost be ready to call them toast, but I can’t figure out why the producers would make this a TBC leg unless there are some exciting passport developments next week. It’s obviously not a planned TBC leg, as the Racers weren’t sent off immediately from the Pit Stop, and watching James & Abba wander around miserably until they’re picked up for vagrancy doesn’t strike me as a must-see.

“Rapido! Por Favor?” - or, making meaningless ineffectual comments from the back seat, but in no immediate danger.
Jaymes & James (holding steady) - A second-place finish is their best yet, and with three other teams in trouble out of the remaining six, they might easily cruise through the next two eliminations and into the final four without really exerting themselves.

In the Passing Lane - or, ahead of the pack, but not quite comfortably.
Natalie & Nadiya (holding steady) - Being in the first bunch of Racers and having an Express Pass that they must use next week pretty much guarantee Natalie & Nadiya a top-three finish next week. A good choice sticking with the Detour task until it was completed, and they should coast next week.
Trey & Lexi (up from Rapido!) - A great leg from Trey & Lexi, who really seem to be hitting their stride. The only team to successfully complete the library Detour option, which I think was clearly the easiest of the two, and a first-place finish. They also will likely coast next week.

Cruisin’ with Earl - or, drivin’ on the shoulder, takin’ shortcuts, and generally kickin’ butt.
Abbie & Ryan (holding steady) - I’m going to leave Abbie & Ryan ranked here for now. Things look dire, but with three teams in the running for elimination, one of which has passport problems, they’re only a mega-bunch away from being back into it. That being said: Abbie & Ryan, have you ever watched this show before? You know you’re way behind, but the producers routinely jigger start times to promote bunching. With the possibility of a NEL somewhere in the mix, either you or Josh & Brent could easily last another couple legs even without a bunch. There’s no real reason to stick with Josh & Brent now, just ditch them.

9

They had told their cabbie to wait for them until they figured out how much time the task would take. It looked like a long time, so they walked back to pay him off and release him, but he was already gone.

10

They got to the bridge and told their cabbie to wait. They read the challenge, realize they’re going to be there awhile, and go back to pay him. But he’s just gone. Taking their bags and one of their passports.

11

Was anyone else shocked about the large amount of money they got for this leg of the race? ($420 dollars!). I know Moscow is expensive, but is it THAT expensive for cabs and such?

12

Wow, the #1 rule when traveling anywhere outside your home country is that you NEVER seperate yourself from your passport. You can do without most everything else but you NEVER lose sight of your passport. Stupid mistake that could send them home (once they get a replacement).

13

It must be killing Abbie & Ryan to sit there & watch the goat farmers flounder. If I was still in the water, I’d feel supremely guilty if I didn’t waive them off and tell them to forget our pact, just get the hell out of there. It’s enough that they’re dragging themselves down; they don’t need to drag down another team too, especially one that rocked the synchro swimming task. I did get a kick out of seeing the taller one in the water with his glasses on.

14

I don’t understand the pact. They know they’re the last two teams what are they planning to do when they reach the mat? Are they intentionally trying to set up a tie (I wonder if there’s a tie breaker in the rules that just hasn’t been needed before)?

15

I really don’t understand it for the goat farmers. I kind of get it for Abby and Ryan. For them, it keeps another team right next to them if they happen to struggle with a task. It also leaves everything to a cab ride & a footrace at the end, and I’m sure they think they can beat the goat farmers in a footrace.
But what is in it for the goat farmers? They don’t do any better with a tie in the end. A “we won’t actively sabotage you” pact would make sense, but this one is just dumb.

16

Pretty sure the gist of the pact is to have both couples arrive at the last challenge together and then race for real through the last challenge and to the pit stop.

17

I’m not a huge fan of Trey and Lexi, and her constant begging for a ring is getting pathetic, but damn if they weren’t adorable celebrating very quietly in the library.

18

Plus “a pact” isn’t exactly binding. They made a pact and it will last until one team needs to knock the other team out of the running. Why bother?

19

Man it’s gotta be painful to make a pact with a team then find out that the next challenge involves swimming - and your pact team can’t really swim. Or even jump into the pool.

I don’t know how that’s going to play out, but I can’t see the goat farmers ever finishing this challenge. The Russian swimmers will drown them after 18 more hours or so. I’d have to say “Sorry about your prune skin and bad luck, but we’ve got a couple million dollars to win, so we’ll see you guys later”.

20

At the rate the goat farmers are completing the swimming task, the library will re-open and they can do that one instead. I agree with whoever said that the library task looked much easier. Even if you don’t know the alphabet, you can eventually figure it out just by studying how the cards are sorted.