With Brittany and Jessica's unfortunate elimination last week due to some bad advice in Geneva, we join all the other teams leaving the mat in Chamonix pretty much en masse. Kurt & Brodie are the first to open their clue at 10:46am and everyone starts searching the streets of Chamonix for a particular car based on the licence plate number so that they can make their way to Les Grands Montets Gondola Station.
Kurt & Brodie know that Tyler & Korey are only one minute behind them but they're still the first to find one of the cars and are now one their way to the gondola station and the next clue. Dana & Matt are out at 10:48am and let's assume everyone is a minute behind the last. Kurt & Brodie arrive at Les Grands Montets Gondola Station and get their next clue. They're about to make their way up Mont Blanc, the 15, 771 feet high White Mountain, so called because it is always covered in snow, and they need to get to Les Grands Montets Summit to find their next clue. Fortunately Kurt & Brodie only need to ascend 11,000 feet where they'll find their next clue somewhere near the edge.
Yep, everyone is right behind them. Each team grabs their gear and their guide and heads to the gondola. With each team also including a camera and sound guy there's only room for two teams at a time inside the gondola so Kurt & Brodie and Tyler & Korey are the first two teams to ascend. Looks like Burnie & Ashley will need to wait to go up with Dana & Matt.
Sheri & Cole arrive and grab their gear, followed closely by Zach & Rachel who forgot to grab a guide. As Scott & Blair drive to the gondola, Blair thinks it'd be a great place to get married and Scott tells her she just needs to get her boyfriends all squared up. Cut to Brodie. Erin & Joslyn are the last team to make their way to the gondola and that's never a good place to be, but the day is young and the air is clean.
That's one hell of a view from the gondola as Kurt & Brodie and Tyler & Korey reach the top, hike up the stairs and discover they'll have to zip line across to the clue. This one requires a lot of upper body strength as both Kurt and Korey are about to find out, but the return back down from the clue is pretty easy. Kurt grabs his clue just before Korey gets to one as Tyler hollers out not to drop the clue. That's kind of a given isn't it?
Kurt & Brodie maintain their lead and open the clue, this leg's Detour; Dynamite or Campsite. In Dynamite they need to deliver a baguette lunch and some dynamite to a ski patrol safety crew to receive their next clue; while in Campsite they need to set up a winter survival camp based on a nearby example to earn their next clue. Kurt & Brodie choose Dynamite, as do Tyler & Corey.
As the boys move on Burnie & Ashley and Dana & Matt hit the stairs and get ready to make the zip line across to get the Detour clue. Matt just realized that his life may rest in Dana's hands and I'm not sure he's feeling all that secure at the moment. Meanwhile Kurt & Brodie and Tyler & Korey are grabbing their dynamite and ready to blow stuff up.
Matt makes quick work of the zipline and grabs his clue, as does Ashley, but when Ashley gets back the clue slips out of pocket and slides down the mountainside. Burnie figures that can't be good, but fortunately she only had to go back across and get another one. While Dana & Matt choose Dynamite,Burnie and Ashley decide to take a chance and try their hand at Campsite.
Zach & Rachel and Scott & Blair are almost at the top and Blair tries to give Zach a little pep talk to calm his nerves but it didn't help. Meanwhile, trying to make their way to the ski patrol was harder than the guys thought it would be. As they hike up the trail behind their guide, all tied together along a rope, Kurt & Brodie almost go over the side.
While the frisbee players trudge through the snow Dana & Matt have gone the wrong way in search of dynamite and Dana starts having a panic attack due to the thinner air. She feels like she can't breath and Matt has to loosen her gear and calm her down. Once she's a little more relaxed they head back down and meet Tyler & Korey who tell them where to find the dynamite. This would have been easily remedied had they . . . read the clue.
While Tyler & Korey make their way along the thin trail through thinner air they figure it still has to be faster than building . . . which takes us to Burnie & Ashley who are checking out the example and get to work on their survival campsite. They needed to set up their tent and build about a meter of snow around the outside to shield it from the wind. Time to get started.
Zach and Scott get locked into their gear to zipline across while Erin & Joslyn and Sheri & Cole bring up the rear. We get more great shots of the French Alps and it feels very familiar, but then again we live only a few hours from the Canadian Rockies and have hiked up and down many a peak. Not so often in the winter unless we're going skiing but I've done a lot of hiking through the mountains in the summer.
After exchanging dynamite and a baguette for the clue Kurt & Brodie are now on their way back down the mountain and need to travel to the Planpraz Gondola Station to find their next clue. They watch as the ski patrol tosses the dynamite over the side and then, with a mighty big ka-boom, there goes all the snow that would otherwise accumulate into an avalanche. I wonder if the dynamite they took up was actually real dynamite though, I mean just imagine the mess if one of those went off . . . and the legal issues.
While they make their way back down, Burnie & Ashley have broken a tentpole and also realize they need more room for their tent . . . now what? Tyler & Korey finally make their way up the trail to trade the dynamite for the clue while Dana is starting to freak out again as they climb higher up the mountain and her fear increases slowing them down even more.
While Dana freezes in place, Zach and Scott retrieve their clues and make their way back. Both teams choose Dynamite and begin making their way down. Up come Sheri & Cole, who wonders how they're going to get the clue, and Erin & Joslyn. Joslyn is pumped and ready to rock. She zips over while Sheri is still getting ready and starts to have a panic attack. Joslyn zips back across as Cole keeps hollering encouragement to his mom and she gets it done. One thing about the Amazing Race is you learn to battle your fears, sometimes fears you don't even know you have. Cole figures that if he had to be the one going across they'd be out so he's probably even more proud of his mom. They choose Dynamite.
Despite having set up thousands of tents, Burnie & Ashley are still having difficulty with this one . . . probably because they can barely feel their fingers. Burnie's starting to think they may have made the wrong choice and that's always a risk. Wayne and I probably would have chosen Dynamite to avoid trying to set up a tent in the cold, although I've set up enough of them in the rain.
Dana & Matt make it to the top and Dana can't wait for this part to be over while Zach & Rachel begin their ascent. Scott & Blair grab some dynamite and Scott says the clue tells them to deliver lunch but Blair assumes that means the baguette, which it does. That said, as they head up they tell Erin & Joslyn not to forget the lunch and the girls start looking which worries the mountain guide they have with them.
As Scott & Blair make their way up the trail to the summit Blair slips on the snow and slides over the edge. Good thing they're all connected and Scott helps her back up. That's probably not the easiest thing on dear old dad's heart. While they continue on their delivery, Kurt & Brodie arrive at the Planpraz Gondola Station and the Roadblock; Throwing Caution To The Wind. One team member is about to go paragliding with a guide and when they land they'll need to answer their guide's question correctly about the yeti to get their next clue. Brodie is going paragliding.
Sheri & Cole debate on setting up a campsite or delivering dynamite but in the end they decide to do Dynamite as Erin & Joslyn are still searching for lunch and Burnie & Ashley realize they're the only ones setting up camp. This could be a great decision on their part, or their biggest mistake., and they know it.
Upon arrival at Planpraz, Tyler figures his glasses would fog up and he wouldn't see everything to answer the question so Korey gets to paraglide. Erin & Joslyn try to copy Blair's misstep and almost go over the edge but they don't and now it's time for Cole to have a panic attack as he realizes they have to go even higher.
At the Planpraz summit Brodie is ready to jump, as is Korey who says he once dated a yeti. Alrighty then. In order to launch the paraglider Brodie and his guide need to run down the snow covered mountain until the parachute fills with enough air to lift them off the ground, unfortunately Brodie and his guide are unsuccessful at launch, and that allows Korey a chance to take the lead. Korey's launch is successful and Korey spots the yeti with a French flag while Brodie gets ready to try again . . . and he's off. Spotting that yeti is pretty easy and this view is even better than the last one.
Back we go to see how Burnie & Ashley are doing but when they call the judge over he tells them they need more snow. Not a problem for Erin & Joslyn who have made it to the top to be greeted by a handsome ski patrol guy who Erin asks if he'd like to date Joslyn. Unfortunately for Joslyn he's married but isn't nice for her to have a friend that'll set her up. As the girls stop flirting Cole faces his biggest fear slowly making his way across the trail as his mom talks him through it.
Look, up in the sky, it's a bird, it's a plane, it's . . . while Kurt is hoping it's Brodie, he's going to be in for a big surprise as Korey hits the ground running hollering that they're number one. Tyler & Korey have moved into first place as they tear open their next clue and they're now in search of Phil and the Pit Stop at the Dr. Paccard Statue. When Brodie finally lands Kurt asks how he got passed and he tells him he'll tell him later and apologizes.
Burnie & Ashley get the all clear on their survival camp and head back to the gondola as Sheri & Cole deliver the last of the dynamite. Both teams meet at the gondola assuming they're in last place only to realize that they're racing for last place. Unless somebody else messes up ahead of them, and that could happen, one of these teams could be at the end of their race.
Tyler & Korey are Team Number 1 and also win 5 nights in the Phillipines. Right behind them come Kurt & Brodie as Team Number 2 and they're proud of Tyler & Korey's win. Not happy with it, but they realize that Tyler & Korey deserve the win. These are the teams to keep an eye on.
Matt gets to soar over the yeti, and gets a brief respite from Dana's complaints, while Rachel gets strapped in. Unfortunately Rachel failed to launch and that opens up a spot for Blair. As blair gets ready to soar, Erin & Joslyn open the clue and Erin is heading into the sky. That'd be such a blast but I have a feeling that Wayne would really want to do this one, and the fact that I'd likely stumble in the snow a few times almost guarantees our decision.
As Matt comes in for a landing Dana is already yelling at him to just come down as they have stuff to do. That is one driven girl, but it seems to work for them as Dana & Matt are Team Number 3. Matt grew up in the mountains and this has been a great leg for him.
Blair managed to move ahead when Rachel failed to launch and everyone figures it's Rachel coming in for a landing because they can't hear Blair's screaming, until she can see her dad and then everyone is surprised. Except her dad, Scott is so proud and they finally pull ahead in the pack. Zach shouldn't be too concerned though because Rachel was pretty close behind Blair.
While Erin is getting ready to fly she sees Ashley coming in and then they see Sheri. Their guide tells them the first rule is . . . don't fall down, and the second rule is . . . wait for the wind. Ashley and her guide make the first attempt but there's not enough wind. So much for the second rule. Erin and Sheri are still waiting for the right wind and then Sheri's pilot nudges her to run and Sheri is airborne, much to Erin's chagrin who must be a little ticked since she was there first. When Erin finally gets her chance she forgets rule number one and that gives Ashley another shot but then the wind died.
Scott & Blair are Team Number 4 and Phil asks Blair if she has a favourite team on the race. Blair blushes a little and then, without answering, turns the question around on Phil who says he loves all of them. Nice save Phil. Zachary & Rachel have flown right in to be Team Number 5.
Burnie, Cole and Joslyn are waiting patiently on the ground wondering who is coming in next for a landing and Burnie figures it could be Ashley or Erin but Joslyn says it could be Sheri. When Sheri lands she surprises everyone and she's just blowing Cole's mind with her ability this leg. Then Ashley flies in and Joslyn is left wondering what went wrong as she's the only one left waiting for her teammate.
Burnie asks Ashley what happened and how she got ahead of Erin and Ashley tells him about the wind and falling and how she felt terrible about it but in the end not that terrible as Burnie & Ashley are Team Number 6. Finally Erin hits the sky and she's filled with tears of both joy and sorrow because she knows that they're in last place. Sheri & Cole are Team Number 7 and Cole is so proud of his mom.
Erin enjoys the view and wishes that Joslyn could be up there with her. When she lands she's all apologetic but they are the last team to arrive and have unfortunately been eliminated from the race. I wasn't expecting that, but then again I wasn't expecting Brittany & Jessica to go out last week. However, I'm really proud of how Scott & Blair have moved into the middle of the pack this leg.
With some ridiculousness called March Madness in the US and, of course, Easter coming up it looks like the Amazing Race is taking a few weeks off but come April 1st seven teams will be heading to warmer climes. No joke. Seriously. Until that time.