Teams leave BC and head to Ontario, more specifically, Hamilton. Even more specifically, they have to fly to Vancouver, then to Toronto and grab a cab to Hamilton and find a branch of the banking sponsor. Normally, I bypass these kind of tasks as commercials but you have to give BMO credit on this one. Instead of some lame task at a sponsor's locale, such as fill up with gas, or buy some junk food or attend a 6 am birthday party with ice cream, they actually used a bit a creativity in this task. Sure, teams didn't have to do much but pick up a tablet, but the emotional aspect of getting the next clue from family members was a nice touch. Some nice feels in those scenes, especially from Julie and Lowell, who have left their young kids with Grandma and Grandpa. I got a kid so I get that. And Rita and Yvette who talk about their mom. I got a mom like that so I know how they feel. Good stuff.
But on with the race. Off to the historical aeroplane museum (sorry no notes even though I watched the race at Gord's house). You want more specifics, read his blog; he takes notes. And at the museum, it's a Roadblock where one team member has to suit up, climb aboard an WW2 era trainer and complete a full circle while maintaining speed and altitude. Not that easy. And while there is some excitement in the air as various racers try to complete the task, the real drama is on the ground. Arriving at the Roadblock about third or fourth, Frankie and Amy decide to cash in their Express Pass, assuming that jumping ahead will get them a first place finish. Despite the fact that this is probably the first task of the day and more harder tasks may lay ahead, they're pretty sure, they'll be the the first on the mat at the end of the leg. More on that later.
Anyway, the appearance of the Express Pass has all the teams buzzing cause as far as they knew, no one had the Express Pass. At least that's the story they were told. That's cause the ones with the Express Pass, Steph and Kristen, have lied to everyone about having one. The only ones who know are Amy and Frankie, who got it. And Joel and Ashley, who witnessed the hand off. So as racers try to figure out who might have the Express Pass, Kristen is standing there, trying to look cool and calm but actually feeling very uncomfortable with it all. Getting caught in a lie can do that to a person, but I won't condemn their move. It makes sense not to tell folks you have the Express Pass. Then again, it makes sense to tell teams you do. Still, some fun on the ground while planes circle overhead, especially when Joel and Ashley, who know the truth, show up. But a deal is stuck: they won't tell if Steph and Kristen don't U-Turn them. Solid deal, but I don't think Joel and Ashley are in the Top 2 for U-Turning. We'll see.
For the most part, racers do reasonably well on the plane task. Looks fun but most complete it after a couple of tries. Although Ashley screams her way through the task. But she's an actor, so yeah, bit of a drama queen. And Julie pukes. But she's so polite about in her manner of asking for a barf bag. "Excuse me, I may throw up, is there a some type of vessel of conveyance for such an occurrence?" Okay, I'm putting words in her mouth but she was so calm, so polite, so genteel in her request for a vomit bag that I almost expected her to extend her pinky as she threw up. Classy even in throw up mode. But not very punny in that moment.
Meanwhile, Frankie and Amy are racing ahead for the MEC task. Again another commercial but it's a tough task. Ride a bike for a bit, kayak across the lake (that's tough cause of the whitecaps), and climb a climbing wall to ring a bell. The mom and daughter team do quite well on it and maintain their lead. However, the next task is a Detour. Dry Dock, or Art Rock. In Dry Dock, teams have to do some welding to the standards of judge before moving on. Could be tough, gotta be patient and steady. But heck, in Art Rock, teams have to head to a craft brewery and using stencils and spray paint, duplicate an art piece while a rock band plays. Holy crap, beer, art and music; that's the most perfect Gord and Wayne task of all time. Gord would have done the stencil while I would have drunk beer and asked to sit in with the band.
But Frankie and Amy take Dry Dock and as they keep working on the task and failing, they're starting to think that using the Express Pass early might not have been a great idea. That becomes more apparent as couple more teams, Steph and Kristen, and Emmett and Jillian start to show up. And then get done before them. At this point, we witness one of the best lines of the season, with Steph saying Kristen is a pro, she's been a lesbian since she was 14. Funny stuff and that should have been the title of this week's episode. Not sure what Steph meant, maybe Kristen was an amateur lesbian before turning pro at 14? I don't know. Pretty sure Kristen's not sure either based on a couple of her twitter comments. Regardless, it was hilarious. Even the cabbie thought so. And they are off to the mat to meet Jon.
Over at Art Rock, heck this task even has three letters of my last name, Julie and Lowell, Rita and Yvette, and Joel and Ashley struggle a bit with the stencilling. The Edmonton teams are lucky Gord and I weren't at the viewing party this week (No teams were there either I heard) cause Gord would have ragged on them for this lack of artistic ability. Especially since the team with the blind guy finished the task before them. That's right, the blind guy team finished an art task before the sighted teams. Letting down the Edmonton side, you guys, especially since we're such an artistic city. And you can see.
Anyway, Steph and Kristen come in first, win a prize but instead of saying "You are Team #1", Jon says "You are the first team to arrive." That's either a sign of doing something wrong, which they didn't. Or the leg is an extended one. Which it is. Here's your clue, grab a train to Toronto and connect to another on to Kingston. Off they go, followed by Jillian and Emmett and then Julie and Lowell, who finally make it to the Top 3. Later on, Rita and Yvette also finish the Art Rock task and head to grab the train.
By now, Frankie and Amy have switched Detours. Which is never a good idea so late. But they blow through Art Rock. Nice to see them grab a couple of beers on the way out, beers they still have as they arrive on the mat. I'm pretty sure having an open can of beer in the back of vehicle is ticketing offence, but nice touch for the mat. Unfortunately, they've got a buzz on and the leg isn't over. Racing while tipsy is never a good idea.
Pulling up in last is Joel and Ashley. It was a bad day for the Enoch team. Not only were they the last team out of the airport, one of their cabs got lost and they just could get it together with the art task fast enough. Jon tells them they are the last team to arrive but as we all know, it ain't over. They don't and feel dejected. But if you watch enough Amazing Race Canada and the other versions, you know that if you are eliminated, Jon doesn't linger. If he asks you a question about how you're feeling, etc., then something's up. It's the little things and Team Enoch are pleased they are still in the race.
Next week, off the Kingston where we wonder if all the teams will get on the trains in time (I predict they will). But the big thing is the appearance of the Double U-Turn. Will teams take advantage of it? Guess we'll see next week. Till then. Remember if you missed me, comment. If you didn't, comment. Thanks.