Amazing Race 9 update – Back to basics

The Race is back on. After some brief team biographies, everybody starts out at Red Rocks in Denver, Colorado. Phil gives them the rules, drops his arm and the teams sprint up the amphitheater steps to their backpacks and the first clue: fly to Sao Paolo, Brazil.

Teams may only get tickets at the airport but Team Ole Miss fails to read their clue and pull off the highway to book by phone. Later, Michelle informs husband Lake that they can't call in the flight and he says: "That's partially my fault." Heh. As in all his fault.

Three different flights arrive in Sao Paolo and teams must race to the roof of the Unique Hotel. All the cab drivers in the city are very well dressed in shirts and ties. Team Glamazon realizes that they speak Portuguese, not Spanish, in Brazil.

Team Boricua (formerly Mom-Sis) arrives at the hotel first thanks to some smart language skills and find the next clue directing them to a bridge (with a weird name). The hippies from San Francisco have been on TV for about 40 seconds total and they're already annoying beyond description. We're free spirits! Wheeee!

At Viadutu something something bridge, Wanda & Desiree find the next clue which is a Detour: Motor Head or Rotor Head. Teams must either go to a motorcycle factory and assemble a bike that can be kickstarted or take a helicopter and search for one of four buildings in the city and then find the clue in the offices. The motorcycle build seems straightforward (to me) but everybody seems to want to tour the skies of Sao Paolo. Both Fran & Barry of Team Kukla walk right by the clue box; the trailing cameraman stops to focus on it before we cut to commercial. After the break, they walk past it yet again. Observant, they're not.

Team Nerd, who listed their skills as "card playing" and "test taking" somehow arrive at the heli-port first with Team Burning Man and Team Track seconds behind. Team Boricua arrive a couple minutes later and the four choppers take off. Meanwhile, Team Pink decides to build the motorcycle (?) and the girls seem surprised that they're going to get dirt under their well-manicured fingernails. The guys from Team Buddies are hopelessly stuck in traffic and Team Glamazon is, I don't know, somewhere. Fran & Barry find the clue box only after following Joseph & Monica; they seriously believe the box was moved while they were searching for it.

Flying over Sao Paolo is a wild reminder of why old-style Amazing Race is better: the sight over the city is amazing. Team Track finds the next clue first which directs them to the next clue in the neighborhood of Santa Cecilia. The hippies, Team Nerd, then Team Boricua are close behind. They take the copters back to the airport where Team White Teeth is just arriving; Monica has been in a meltdown since Denver.

Back at the motorcycle factory, the girls give up and decide to try the copters just as Team Kukla is arriving. Lake of Team Ole Miss, who has been a bit of a jerk up until now, really seems to know how to build a motorcycle. Ray & Yolanda also arrive to build a bike. Meanwhile, John & Scott and Lisa & Joni are just arriving on the bridge, so it looks like one of these two teams will be eliminated.

Team Frat Boys (formerly Team Track) arrive back at the heliport with Team Burning Man close behind. As they leave, Team Mojo (formerly Team White Teeth) arrives. MoJo = Monica and Joseph. Team Nerd and Team Boricua are close behind. Back at the motorcycle factory, Lake finishes the build and tries to tell Team Kukla how to build the bike, but they seems as confused as they were on the bridge - as in "Where's the engine?"

After the commerical break, Fran & Barry give up and head to the helicopters. They arrive at the same time as Team Buddies and Team Glamazon, who make fools of themselves with their yelling once they realize they're not last. Unless Team Volcano completely flubs the bike build, one of these three teams will almost assuredly be last.

Meanwhile, a bunch of teams are heading to Santa Cecelia where they must take part in a traditional dance ceremony and light a candle. That's all they have to do. Team Frat Boys arrive first, followed closely by Team Burning Man, and they both head toward the city's soccer stadium and the Pit Stop. David & Lori are next, followed by Wanda & Desiree. Ray & Yolanda finish their motorcycle and head to Santa Cecelia. Team Pink finds their clue. Team Kukla heads back on their copter. Team Glamazon is next. Team Buddies appears heading towards elimination. Monica is in a much better mood once she receives the Pit Stop clue.

All teams are now racing to the soccer stadium or the brief stop in Santa Cecilia. Here they come:

Team #1 - Team Frat Boys - Eric & Jeremy - First prize: $10,000 each
Team #2 - Team Burning Man - BJ & Tyler
Team #3 - Team Boricua - Wanda & Desiree
Team #4 - Team Nerd - David & Lori
Team #5 - Team Ole Miss - Lake & Michelle
Team #6 - Team Mojo - Joseph & Monica
Team #7 - Team Volcano - Ray & Yolanda
Team #8 - Team Kukla - Fran & Barry
Team #9 - Team Pink - Danielle & Dani
Team #10 - Team Glamazon - Lisa & Joni
Team #11 - Team Buddies - John & Scott - PHIL-LIMINATED

Next week: The Frat Boys and Team Pink - surprise! - flirt with each other. There's lots of climbing down and climbing up.

Extra – Here’s Kris’s recap over at Dummocrats. Also, is Pat doing reviews this season? If so, I can’t wait up. So sleepy.

More – From Hillary in Vancouver. Everyone loves the nerds.