This episode opens with several teams commenting on how impressed they were with Margie and Luke’s performance in the previous episode, in which they finished first. It’s nice, but it’s also somewhat condescending; they say things like, “Oh, they raced SO WELL,” which kind of proves that Luke’s paranoia about deaf people being underestimated was not entirely unfounded.
We then are taken to the last Pit Stop, and host Phil Keoghan explains that teams are subjected to a mandatory 12-hour rest period between legs. Margie and Luke, who arrived at 2:56 p.m., will depart for the second leg at 2:56 a.m.
And the second leg will take our racers to Munich, Germany. I’ve actually been to Munich and it’s a beautiful city. But when they land, the teams will hop in cars and promptly leave the city, driving themselves to the village of Ruhpolding, where they’ll ride a cable car to the top of a mountain for the next clue.
Tammy and Victor are the next to depart. They wisely borrow the cabbie’s phone to call the airport and reserve tickets on the first flight to Munich, which happens to be on Swiss Air.
Mark and Michael leave next. “We’re running at 90 percent,” they crow. Yeah, that’s what you think.
Mel and Mike depart next; Mel reminds us that his groin muscle is still pulled. Thanks, Mel. Jaime and Cara are next to leave. Jaime is wearing a white knit cap with a black skull & crossbones motif. I might have a new TV girlfriend!
The Louisville contingent, Kisha and Jen, depart next. Kisha says she sees Jen in the “little sister role.” Jen says, “She has to play the big sister role and it pisses me off.” Just FYI, these two will say the word “role” about 6,437 times this episode.
Steve and Linda leave. Steve admits he was kind of a jackass toward Linda last episode, which he was.
All the teams are calling ahead to the airport and reserving seats on the Swiss Air flight — all except Mark and Michael. “Now it’s chill time,” says Mark. Ruh-roh!
“Germany has beer, so I hope there’s a beer challenge,” says Linda. That’s the spirit!
Meanwhile, back at the Pit Stop, Christie and Jodi leave. They, too, call ahead, but there is only one seat on the magic Swiss Air flight left, so they have to settle for Lufthansa, as do Mark and Michael. Who’s chilling now, guys?
The first plane, which carries everybody except the flight attendants and the stuntmen, lands. Kisha and Jen promptly get lost. Ruh-roh!
Tammy and Victor arrive at the cable car first. At the top of the mountain? Road Block! This one is called “Fly Like an Eagle.” One team member must paraglide off the side of a mountain while the remaining team member rides back down and waits in a designated area. But wait! If it’s too windy, paragliding is not an option. They can wait as long as they like for the wind to die down, or they can hike down the mountain. Can you say “foreshadowing?”
Meanwhile, Kisha and Jen are still lost. Jen is driving and rolls her eyes when Kisha gives directions. Ruh-roh!
Most of the teams are ready to paraglide but according to the high-tech windsock, the wind is too strong. Tammy immediately begins to hike down the mountain. Mel says, “I’m old, but I have to do some of these fun challenges,” so he suits up to paraglide. However, due to his pulled groin — wait, Mel’s groin is pulled? Why hasn’t he mentioned this before? — he says he will be unable to complete the hike down the mountain.
But the wind is still too strong, and one by one, the teams begin hiking down the mountain.
Kisha and Jen arrive, finally. Jen suits up to paraglide. She fist-bumps Mel. “Make it happen, cap’n,” she tells him. Then she spots Mark and Michael. “It’s the mini-men,” she says. Heh.
The wind will not die down. “I guess I made a bad decision,” says Mel.
Everybody decides to take the trail, except Mel. AND THEN: the wind changes. It’s a TAR miracle! God bless us all!
Meanwhile, at the foot of the mountain, Tammy finishes her hike, which was more of a jog, She is perspiring a little. Just saying.
At the clue box, Tammy and Victor discover that teams must now drive 25 miles to Schonau am Konigssee to find the next clue.
Mel begins to paraglide. He loves it, enthusing about the scenery and the improbability of the situation. I like it when TAR contestants can take a minute to appreciate the scenery and not worry about the competitive aspect. America’s wonderful and all, but there’s a big world out there and we should try to see as much of it as we can. End PSA.
Meanwhile, Linda (who else?) gets lost on the path. SIGH.
Tammy and Victor arrive at the Detour. The choices are Balancing Dolly or Austrian Folly. On Dolly, the teams will ride Segways through a two-mile obstacle course. On Folly, the teams will throw traditional Austrian pastries until they find one with a cherry filling. But there’s a twist…
Tammy and Victor choose Folly. When they arrive, the find out that they will be throwing pastries AT EACH OTHER’S FACES. Oh, the humanity! But Tammy and Victor dutifully start chucking pies at each other. It’s very messy, but thanks to their skill (or most likely, some judicious editing) they finish quickly and head off to find these weird little robots that saw little wooden discs which are stamped with the next clue. And that clue? Pit Stop ahoy, at Schloss Hellbrunn in Salzburg, Austria. Phil helpfully tells us that “Schloss” means “castle” in German. Last team to check in may be eliminated.
Back at the mountain, Linda is still lost. You know, she seems like she’s just as sweet as can be, but perhaps competitive reality TV is not her strong suit. Linda ends up near a highway. “Where the hell did I run to?” she yelps. Then she cries.
Kisha and Jen finish and head for the detour.
A kindly passerby takes pity on Linda and drives her (and her camera crew) back to the top of the mountain. They are so screwed.
Tammy and Victor arrive at the Pit Stop. Despite being caked in chunks of Bavarian pastry, Victor is quite perky and cheerful. Phil tells them they are team No. 1. “Have you guys seen how ridiculous you look?” Phil asks them. “You don’t think I look good?” Tammy counters, hand on hip, coquettish look on her face. I like to think the show’s editors read this blog and put that in as a shout-out to me.
Amanda and Kris do the Austrian Folly, or as Amanda calls it, the “Australian” folly. It’s still pretty messy, but Kris informs us that the “pie is actually delicious.” Mmm, pie.
Linda finally finishes hiking down the mountain. Mel and Mike ride the Segways.
Luke and his mom do the pies. Luke gets very impatient at the challenge, asking Margie if they can leave. Mom says no.
Kisha and Jen? Get lost again. They start sniping at each oher. Ruh-roh.
Margie is a better sport than Luke: She laughs, while Luke fumes.
Jaime and Cara ride the Segways, Kisha and Jen do the Segways, Mark and Michael do the Segways. Christie and Jodi pass Kisha and Jen and decide to do… the pies.
Mel and Mike have trouble entering Schloss Hellbrunn for the Pit Stop, but they eventually get some help and race to the mat. They are team No. 2.
Amanda and Kris are No. 3. Marge and Luke are No. 4. Brad and Victoria are No. 5.
Pies, Segways, wood. A title pops up onscreen: “14 Hours Since Race Start.”
Jaime and Cara are No. 6. Steve and Linda throw pies. Christie and Jodi get lost looking for the woodsawing robots.
Kisha and Jen get lost AGAIN. Dude, seriously. They pull over at a gas station for directions. Kisha gets out and Jen says, “She’s [expletive] pissing me off.” Jen! Language!
Kisha and Jen find the Pit Stop. They are team No. 7. Jen says, “I never thought this would be the most frustrating experience of my life. It’s mentally wearing me down.”
Mark and Michael are No. 8. Christie and Jodi are No. 9.
Steve and Linda are No. 10. Last. They are eliminated. Steve cries. But they still love each other! Hurray!
Kisha and Jen got more face time this episode, but it wasn’t very flattering, especially Jen’s exasperation with Kisha. Anybody who has siblings can probably relate, but Jen, baby: This is a race for $1 million.
Next week: More racing, I guess.
mmm…. pie.