With Jillian & Emmett keeping ahead of the pack for their first win they're also the first ones out at 12:56am. Not a lot you can do at 12:56 in the morning in Jasper, especially since teams must now make their way by one of three buses to Calgary. Again with the bus rides. Why don't they just have the teams drive to Calgary, where they'll also find two Express Passes?
Steph & Kristin are next out at 1:45am, but that hour lead for Jillian & Emmett isn't worth squat when they'll all be waiting at the bus station together. Stéphane & Antoine are off at 4:32am, almost four hours behind the lead and they actually took a cab to the bus station. In Jasper? You can walk the whole town at a leisurely pace in under an hour why would they take a cab? Anyway, all three teams are on the first bus which probably left some time around 6:00am.
Ashley & Joel are the next team to head out at 4:35am right behind Stéphane & Antoine (which may have been why they grabbed a cab), and will be the first team on bus number two. Julie & Lowell are off at 6:11am and Frankie & Amy are hanging off their backpack straps at 6:13am. So that fills up the second bus. Rita & Yvette, Anne & Tanya, and Kate & Kelly will make up the third bus. Those buses are probably about an hour apart and that's gotta be a thorn in the side of Jillian & Emmett who had a six hour lead on last place.
All teams will be dropped off at Calgary City Hall where they'll be met by Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi who will give them they're next clue. Mayor Nenshi is a pretty popular guy and one of his right hand men is an ex-student of my wife's so she's got a soft spot for him. Jillian & Emmett are the first ones to race up and receive their next clue, a photo of a head sculpture and some comment about being part of the energy. They're looking for Wonderland and their next clue.
While Jillian & Emmett get directions from a local and grab Steph & Kristen who are right behind them, Stéphane & Antoine manage to find Wonderland first and grab the first clue . . . another Roadblock; Who feels like they're in control. One team member is about to ascend the Calgary Tower, built to celebrate Canada's centennial, and then rappel 58 stories down the tower to receive their next clue from the tower's mascot.
Antoine chose to do this one and I'm thinking his dad will be pretty glad he did when they actually get to the Roadblock. Joining Antoine will be Kristin and Emmett who both feel like they're in control. Once on top of the tower Emmett is the first one to get strapped in and he's looking a little nervous as he edges down to the edge of the tower. It's kinda like walking on the outside of a spaceship with that curved roof and all those round windows, and I'm sure Wayne would just love this challenge. The hardest part is climbing over the edge but after that it's clear sailing 600 feet to the pavement below.
The second bus has arrived and Mayor Nenshi is still there with a smile on his face to greet the next three teams, including Julie & Lowell who go in for the hug. I think Julie is more excited to meet the mayor than she is to be on the second bus. As they head for the tower we cut back to see Kristen going over the side in an attempt to beat Emmett down. Her fear of heights certainly isn't holding her up but as she gets closer to Emmett one of her lines gets caught and she's stuck hanging around.
Over at Wonderland Joel chooses to do the Roadblock, as does Lowell and Frankie, and as they race for the tower Emmett reclaims first place and they receive their next clue. They must now make their way to the Beatnik Bus by following it on social media, and then find the musician to receive their next clue. The Beatnik Bus is a return to the glory of vinyl and is loaded with over 500 records (which isn't really a lot of records) and will be making ten minute stops around the city. The trick is to find the bus before it moves on to the next location and this may be a chance for Ashley & Joel to move up the ranks with Ashley having lived in Calgary in the past.
The only way to follow the bus though is to find someone on the street to use their phone to hunt it down, something Jillian & Emmett get on right away and then head out. Steph and Kristen are just a few minutes behind the lead as Antoine just goes over the edge and the other teams hit the tower. Those buses out of Jasper must have been closer than an hour behind each other because there's no way it can take that long to rappel down. Joel goes over as Antoine hits the ground, gets the next clue and then he and his dad head off to grab another cab.
Meanwhile, Jillian & Emmett and Steph & Kristen have found the Beatnik Bus, but as they race to catch it the musician closes his case, jumps aboard, and off the bus goes. Aargh! Time to find another local and as they discover the next stop for the Beatnik Bus, Jillian & Emmett run off while Steph & Kristen grab a cab, just as the third bus from Jasper arrives. It's Anne, Yvette and Kelly for the Roadblock, but how is it possible that the twins from Edmonton have no idea about the Calgary Tower?
As both teams are making a play for the Express Pass, Emmett pitches a deal that whichever team finds the passes they'll give the second one to the other team. The girls are on board with that deal and at this point in the game it's a good one to make because you know who has it, but it'll all depend on how honest both teams are. Then again, this is Canada, we're all pretty upstanding, . . . right? Off they go across town to Canada Boy Vinyl.
Back on the streets, Rita & Yvette keep circling the wrong tower looking for a marked door until they have that face palm moment when they look up and see the actual Calgary Tower. It's about time. As they head for the tower, Frankie is pumped to go over the edge, as is Lowell who can't really see how far it is to the pavement below so he has nothing to fear. I think it's funny when he says he can see his house from up there.
Stéphane and Antoine finally catch up to the Beatnik Bus and get the next clue and wisely decide against going after the Express Pass so they're off on the Detour, which both lead teams will still need to do. This leg's Detour has teams Sim or Swim. In Sim, teams must locate SAIT and take control of a 4D crane simulator to beat the clock in a training exercise; while in Swim, teams must locate the Bow Habitat Station to help restock Alberta's lakes by filling two cages with rainbow trout to receive their next clue. I'm pretty sure Wayne and I would head to SAIT but Stéphane & Antoine choose Swim.
Joel & Ashley have found the Beatnik Bus before he moved off and are now on their way to Sim. While on the way to Canada Boy Vinyl, Jillian & Emmett finally notice the Detour clue and make the call to skip the Express Pass and head for one of the Detours to stay in first place so they choose Swim. That's fine as long as Steph & Kristen stick with the deal to give them the second Express Pass but a bit of a risk otherwise because they've just made that alliance and it's not the best idea to break it five minutes in. Still, at this point in the game, it's a risk they can take.
Arriving at Canada Boy Vinyl, Steph & Kristen get started on their first crate as they begin to wonder whether Jillian & Emmett bailed or just got a bad cab. It's nice that they've considered both options as opposed to just assuming that their new allies lied to them from the start. One of them figures that, if the other team doesn't show that could be a deal breaker, but that's the risk they take as Jillian & Emmett arrive at the fish hatchery and hit the pool.
Frankie & Amy are having way too much fun at the Beatnik Bus and they choose to Swim. Up in the air Anne is going over the edge and singing happy birthday to her son as she descends. That's kinda cute. While Anne sings, Julie & Lowell have found the Beatnik Bus and choose to Swim, which is where we find Stéphane & Antoine joining Jillian & Emmett. Obviously there's a trick to moving that large net to corral the fish and it's one all teams will need to learn to get through this task.
Out of the pool and over at SAIT, Joel & Ashley have arrived to try the 4D simulator. This looks awesome and as Joel tries his hand knocking over virtual obstacles, across town Kelly goes over the side of the tower. Not to be left too far behind, Yvette is the last one to go over the edge and head down. No problem getting down and getting their next clue but over at Canada Boy Vinyl Steph & Kristen are on to crate number seven and not really happy with Jillian & Emmett so there goes that deal. Especially if the girls bail now that they're an hour into it.
Good thing they didn't bail because crate number eight was the charm. Now that they have both Express Passes, Steph & Kristen are off to Swim. At least they're doing a lot better than Rita & Yvette who seem to have forgotten rule number one and are just racing around the streets looking for the Beatnik Bus or a musician, even going so far as to ask some guy with a guitar if he's the guy they're looking for. He's not, and he looks as confused as they do. Off they go again, eventually pressing the emergency help button at a transit centre to find the Beatnik Bus. This is not that kind of an emergency, but the guy still tried to help.
Jillian & Emmett are finally loading their fish into the cage while Stéphane and Antoine try to catch up, Frankie & Amy hit the pool and Steph & Kristen arrive at SAIT to find Joel & Ashley. What they also find is that they are terrible virtual crane operators so Steph & Kristen decide to switch Detours and they're off the Bow Habitat Station. Ashley doesn't see the point in switching since they're almost getting the hang of the controls so Joel keeps at it. Speaking of control, Julie & Lowell are about to try their hand at controlling trout, something all the teams are having trouble with as they all find a few stragglers slipping out.
On the street Kate & Kelly get their next clue from the musician and choose Sim. While they head to SAIT, Jillian & Emmett finally catch their last straggler, call for a check, and get their next clue. All teams will now be heading to Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre, to find Jon at the next Pit Stop. Opening this summer, that looks like a cool place to check out, but the last team to arrive may be eliminated, and speaking of the last team . . . Rita & Yvette finally get the Detour clue and choose to do Sim.
Steph & Kristen arrive at the hatchery and realize they're still in the running as they join three other teams, all of which keep losing fish. Not a problem for Stéphane & Antoine who finally caged all of their little happy rainbows and received the next clue to the Pit Stop. On their fishy tail are Frankie & Amy who've managed to move up a few spots and are now in third heading for Studio Bell.
Time for Joel & Ashley, after practicing for awhile, to make their first attempt to get through the training exercise in under six minutes. It's looking pretty good for their first attempt and as Ashley takes over from her dad they do it in 5:46. Easy peasy. They get the Pit Stop clue and off they go before anyone else shows up at the Sim challenge.
Jillian & Emmett find Studio Bell, race inside, find Jon and are once again Team Number 1. They've also won a trip for two to Paris, France and 5 nights accommodation thanks to Hotels.com. Now all they have to do is win back the trust of Steph & Kristen and they're golden.
Kate & Kelly arrive at SAIT to discover that video games are bad for you, well at least they are for them. Neither one can figure out the controls so they decide to switch tasks and head off to the hatchery where Anne & Tanya are corralling fish, Steph & Kristen are loading their cage, and Julie & Lowell have missed a few obvious stragglers. At least they've figured out the flaw in their plan as they try to locate those stray fish.
Stéphane & Antoine are Team Number 2, and Frankie & Amy are Team Number 3. That's a good jump from sixth to third for the mother and daughter team and they're pretty pumped as they hope for another jump on the next leg. At the back of the pack for this leg, Rita & Yvette continue to struggle as they find the simulator too difficult to figure out but they realize that switching at this point could cost them the leg. Decisions, decisions, . . . and they decide to switch.
Anne & Tanya have done a lot better this leg as they finish Swim in fifth and head out for Studio Bell, with Steph & Kristen right behind them as Julie & Lowell hunt down their last stragglers. Joel & Ashley are Team Number 4 as Julie & Lowell receive their next clue. As they head out, Rita & Yvette head in to find Kate & Kelly still working on the task, or balancing on beams . . . I'm not sure which. For some reason they've corralled their fish as far away from their cages as possible and keep having to exit the pool to carry a net full of fish to their cage at the far end. Not the best laid plan was it girls.
Anne & Tanya are Team Number 5, and Steph & Kristen are Team Number 6. It's a big fall from second place and when Jon asks if Jillian & Emmett burnt a bridge today by abandoning them, the girls admit that they're not sure they need to stick to their deal but time will tell. Julie & Lowell are Team Number 7.
That leaves just two teams back at the fish hatchery and as Rita & Yvette power through like sharks at a feeding frenzy, Kate & Kelly call for a check only to find they still have fish in the pool. Kelly & Kate grab the last few fish and they're off with Rita & Yvette close behind them. It's going to be a foot race to the Pit Stop as the cabs try to outdo each other.
It's a mad race up the stairs but in the end it's Rita & Yvette as Team Number 8 and Kate & Kelly as Team Number 9, the last team to arrive. There's a long pause and we all know what's coming when Jon commends they're good attitude and tells them they'll need to keep it up as this was a non-elimination leg. It seems a bit early for that but I'm sure the girls are happy with it.
Next week, teams are off to the Mekong Delta in Vietnam where they'll encounter culture shock, language barriers, excessive heat, and another challenge where they'll need to corral a bunch of uncooperative animals. W. C. Fields always said to never work with children or animals and we can see why.
So that's it for my review of episode two. Wayne and I will be back shortly with our video review of the teams racing through Calgary and our opinion of where they went wrong. There's no exit interview this week but you never know what we'll come up with between episodes. Until that time.