The Amazing Race: The Gloves Come OffRob & Ambuh leave first. Drive to the church of San Pedro de Atacama. This is just a clue stop. Next task is to fly to Puerto Montt, and find something called the Metri. The Old Gays get in a little dustup with the Frat Boy and his girlfriend. They're upset that the latter pulled ahead of them when they stopped for directions, so they block their vehicle while they read the clue. Kinda petty IMHO, and making enemies is never a good idea in TAR.
Rob & Ambuh find an all-night travel agency and book their tickets first. The other teams go directly to the airport, where, of course, they must sleep in a line. Uchenna and Joyce think of going to a hotel where they will book tickets for several teams. But in a crucial mistake, only the Old Gays have given them the security code for their credit cards, so only two teams get their tickets early. There is a one-hour difference between the first and second flight, with only four teams on the former. There's a big row between Teri & Ian and One and a Half Women. Tempers are really flaring on this episode!
On the way to the Metri, somebody makes the comment that Rob is not Jesus. Right on cue, Rob makes the wrong turn. The next clue is a Roadblock. One member must pull something like 80 flat and ugly fish out of a tank into a box, then carry the fish to another tank. Lots of "I hate fish" at this point, including, surprisingly, Dave. Country boys don't fish?
This task seems ill suited for Smyrna, and Myrna ain't enjoying it either, so they fall behind as she wails about how many fish there are and how hard it is. Uchenna and Joyce take the lead at this point. Next task: Find a place called La Maquina on the way to a town called Petrohue. Rob & Ambuh get there first. Detour: Either rock climb 40 feet (sheesh, TAR always has a rock climb) or go whitewater rafting. Every single team opts for the rafting adventure.
Along in here, Dave & Mary miss the turn off for Petrohue. Rob says something about "Wait a minute, did that sign say Petro--?" but Mary says, "Keep going". The BQs miss the cluebox, but somehow still come upon the whitewater rafting, so they take the ride on the assumption that the clue will be along the river. Will this save Team Coal Miner?
Meanwhile, One and a Half Women have teamed up with the Old Gays. But this turns out to be something of a mistake for the former, as the Old Gays missed half the clue and would have been completely hosed without Myrna and Smyrna.
Teams are starting to arrive at the Pit Stop. Rob & Ambuh win yet again, getting a pair of home gyms. At some point the Frat Boy & his girlfriend arrive, treating us to a view of the former's chest. Has he got his nipples pierced or what? I only got a quick glimpse, but it was a definite gross-out moment.
The BQs arrive fourth, but they must go back and find their clue. As it happens, it doesn't cost them any position, just a little time. David and Mary are looking doomed, especially when we see the other two teams jockeying for position on the water, but no sign of Team Coal Miner. Myrna has lost the keys and must run back to the tent to get them. Smyrna gripes that the Old Gays don't wait for them, but at that point they're all racing to avoid finishing last. In an oddball moment, the guy with Phil at the mat is a dwarf, like Smyrna, and we get the inevitable shot of them hugging.
In the end, David and Mary arrive last. Will they be saved for the third time in their TAR career by a non-elimination leg? Nope, they are Phil-Liminated at the mat.
Note: I had assumed that Eric at Viking Pundit was skipping All-Stars, but he's got
his recap up.
