Amazing Race update – Stuck in South America

In TAR6, the Race never made it once to South America. TAR7 appears to be making up for that deficit with yet another leg of the Race south of the Panama Canal. Teams started out from an Argentinean ranch and headed to a horse farm and the first Roadblock. One member from each team had to play gaucho and race a horse around a barrel course in under 40 seconds. Almost all teams finished on their first or second attempt except for whiny Deana of Team Karate who seemed unwilling to do any of the standard techniques of equine mobilization. She finally succeeded when she went to the stick.

After the Roadblock, teams could take one of two flights from Mendoza to Buenos Aires: a 9:30am flight or a 2:30pm flight. Team Survivor just barely made it onto the earlier flight much to the deep dismay of the first four teams: Team Spicoli, Team Showtunes, Team Africa, and Team America. The other three teams ended up on the (much) later flight so it looks like either Team Codgers, Team Mom/Son or Team Karate will be eliminated. (Or will they? We’re just about due for a non-elimination leg.)

Once in Buenos Aires, teams race to a clock tower to receive their next clue which tells them to take a train (across the street) to Tigre and find the riverside docks. At the river, Teams hit a Detour. They must choose between Shipwreck or Island: either find a certain shipwrecked boat by way of an old picture, or find a particular island farther down river for the next clue. Through what can only be characterized as an evil intervention by Loki, Team Survivor finds the ship in no time and heads off to the Pit Stop. Meanwhile, the motorboat taken by Team Showtunes takes on water and soon afterwards the engine dies. They are forced to wait for a replacement boat and Phil does a voiceover to remind us that in the Race this is just dumb luck and teams won’t be credited for time. At the Pit Stop, it’s Team Survivor, then Team Spicoli, Team Africa, Team America and a waterlogged Team Showtunes.

Hours after these first five teams have checked in at the Pit Stop, the flight carrying the last three teams arrive and we’re treated to an aggravating monologue by Ray (Team Karate) who tells the camera he’s not about to be beaten by an elderly couple or Team Mom/Son. Good for you, jerk. Anyway, Ray & Deana head off and find the next clue fairly quickly and Meredith & Gretchen foolishly follow them as Team Karate is heading back to the dock. Eventually they figure out the mistake and turn around again. Meanwhile, Susan and Patrick (who had been giving Deana a run-for-the-money in the whining competition) miss the earlier train to Tigre and then have the misfortune of picking the wrong boat, which breaks down a mile from the docks. They also get a replacement boat but the multitude of problems on horseback, flight, train, and boat keep them far behind the other Teams. Team Mom/Son arrive last at the Pit Stop and (sad music is the tip-off) are eliminated from the Race.

Final standings – Leg #4

1 – Team Survivor – Rob & Amber
2 – Team Spicoli – Brian & Greg
3 – Team Africa – Uchenna & Joyce
4 – Team America – Ron & Kelly
5 – Team Showtunes – Lynn & Alex
6 – Team Karate – Ray & Deana
7 – Team Codgers – Meredith & Gretchen
8 – Team Mom/Son – Susan & Patrick – ELIMINATED

Next week: A two-hour Amazing Race! Blood and bruises! Flipped cars! Yikes!