Amazing Race Tidbits
CBS' The Amazing Race 11 -- All Stars Edition
Thoughts on Episode One -- The Race Is On
Episode One was an elimination leg. The starting line was the historic Charles Deering Estate, south of Miami in the village of Palmetto Bay along the ocean. This location, part of the Miami-Dade park system, was severely damaged by Hurricane Andrew, and only recently restored. From there, teams had to reach the Miami International Airport to book a flight to Quito, Ecuador. Teams found the airport with little difficulty, except that Drew and Kevin commented theat they were driving in circles, and were last to arrive. The first flight to depart was on Copa Airlines, with a stop in Panama City. The second flight, on American Airlines, was scheduled to depart twenty minutes later, but being a direct flight, was scheduled to reach Quito about 2 hours earlier than the Copa flight. Teams had to figure this out, and book the fastest flight, but only five teams could book the American Airlines flight as it rapidly filled up. A ticket agent tricked David and Mary into taking the Copa flight, but they were joined by Dustin and Kandice, Drew and Kevin, Uchenna and Joyce, Joe and Bill, and Eric and Danielle. The other 5 teams, Rob and Amber, Danny and Oswald, Charla and Mirna, Jill and John Vito, and Teri and Ian boarded the American flight for the direct ride to Quito.
In Quito, teams had to find Plaza San Francisco after dark, then were directed to Pim's Restaurant, where they would take a number for a departure time for the next morning.
Departing at 7 AM the next day were Rob and Amber, Danny and Oswald, Jill and John Vito, Charla and Mirna
Departing at 7:15 AM the next day were Teri and Ian, Uchenna and Joyce, Joe and Bill, Dustin and Kandice
Departing at 7:30 AM the next day were David and Mary, Eric and Danielle, Drew and Kevin
Wrangle It: Pick a team of Andean cowboys called chagras to lasso a horse, properly clip its hooves, and trim its mane and tail. All teams end up doing the Wrangle It Detour.
Recover It: Find three items missing from a vintage officer's uniform--an epaulet, a sword, and a button--in a field. Only Rob and Amber are shown attempting this Detour option. No team completes it.
Episode One Detour |
||
|---|---|---|
Members |
Detour Selected |
Result |
| Rob and Amber | Wrangle It | In first to start, switch Detours, first to leave |
| Danny and Oswald | Wrangle It | Second to arrive, second to leave |
| Eric and Danielle | Wrangle It | Fourth to arrive, fourth out |
| Teri and Ian | Wrangle It | Third to arrive, third to leave |
| Dustin and Kandice | Wrangle It | Sixth to arrive, sixth to leave |
| Kevin and Drew | Wrangle It | Next to last to arrive, next to last to leave |
| Uchenna and Joyce | Wrangle It | Seventh to arrive, seventh to leave |
| Joe and Bill | Wrangle It | Fifth to arrive, fifth to leave |
| Charla and Mirna | Wrangle It | Ninth to arrive, ninth to leave |
| David and Mary | Wrangle It | Eighth to arrive, eighth to leave, but barely ahead of Charla and Mirna |
| Jill and John Vito | Wrangle It | Last to arrive, last to leave |
Two teams got lost on the way to the Detour. Some sought information from locals, others asked for help from locals, most relied on reading the provided map. Apparently, John Vito and Jill used all three approaches, only to have each go wrong for them. As lost as Charla and Mirna were, they were surprised when they catch up to David and Mary. Kevin and Drew, in addition to being passed by David and Mary, drive on a flat tire through the park. No surprise, as all routes go through the town of Machachi, but only one way leads to the north entrance to Cotopaxi Volcano National Park and the site of the horse roundup in the Wrangle It Detour. Places for those leaving the Wrangle It Detour site only changed when Charla and Mirna outran and outclimbed David and Mary to the Pit Stop.
Episode One Order of Finish |
|
|---|---|
Members |
Team |
| Rob and Amber | 1 |
| Danny and Oswald | 2 |
| Teri and Ian | 3 |
| Eric and Danielle | 4 |
| Dustin and Kandice | 6 |
| Joe and Bill | 5 |
| Uchenna and Joyce | 7 |
| Kevin and Drew | 10 |
| Charla and Mirna | 8 |
| David and Mary | 9 |
| Jill and John Vito | 11 |
Outlook for Episode Two
Part of the chat in Episode 1 was the thought that all the teams have been around the world once. Moreover, they have had the chance to learn their lessons from the first time around. Clearly one theme for this Race is which teams did not learn from their past mistakes. In Race 10, Mary was afraid mainly of the unknown due to her lack of travel experience, but now is willing to go without an alliance to help float Team Kentucky. Will they find their new friendship with Teri and Ian too hard to resist? In Ecuador, John Vito and Jill repeated their inability to navigate that caused them to be eliminated the first time around, following a flawless first day!
If Rob and Amber can avoid mental errors, and deal with any adversity that comes along, they could be virtually unstoppable. Rob is making outstanding decisions, and Amber is intelligent and savvy in her own right. Danny and Oswald have chosen to communicate effectively, leveraging their experience. Teri and Ian, Eric and Danielle, Team Guido and Dustin and Kandice are doing quite well.
The two bottom teams of David and Mary, and Drew and Kevin are in trouble, along with Charla and Mirna. Still, the latest previews show Charla and Mirna unleashing their galling ways on Dustin and Kandice. Deja vu all over again! Teams are shown struggling on the roads. Mud, sweat, and tears, indeed.
What will Episode 2 reveal about the racers and who will be eliminated next? Watch the exciting second episode of Amazing Race All Stars Sunday, February 25th at 8PM Eastern/Pacific.
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