We catch up with Gino & Jesse who won the last leg of the race and are now the first to depart at 9:01pm. All teams are now on their way from Sudbury, ON to Saskatoon, SK nearly 2,000kms away. Ooh, all teams get a twoonie on their BMO cash card, . . . that'll go a long way. Nick & Matt are over three hours behind, leaving at 12:05am, and Brian & Cynthia are out at 12:09am but we all know that all teams will be on the same flight so the boys having a three hour lead is irrelevant, even to Dujean & Leilani who are over seven hours behind at 4:21am.
Brent & Sean need to use their Express Pass at some point during this leg and hope they make the right choice to get them into first place. As I said, all teams are on the same flight to Saskatoon via Toronto. When they touch down at the John G. Diefenbaker Airport they'll need to get down to the Tarmac and find three flight boards.
Time to test the racer's knowledge of time zones as they set up flight paths to cover three continents from the 190 direct flights that Air Canada flies around the world. There's a lot of math in this one but it's basic addition so it shouldn't be that hard, right? They need to create multiple flight plans that will total up to 25 hours of total flight time and then present that to Captain Pat to get their next clue.
Everyone has trouble with the concept of time zones but how can Kristin never have heard of Greenwich Mean Time before? How is that even possible? Then we have Brian who needs to remove his shoes to get past ten, and the Designers who say that, as design students they never use math. I'm seriously worried about their designs. Just like that Brent & Sean decide to use their Express Pass and they're now off to . . .
Roadblock. Brent & Sean (and all the teams after them) now jump into their Chevy Cruze and drive to Saskatoon's north end to find the Apex Trampoline Park, where they'll complete a three part trampoline course. First they need to jump in numerical order around a nine-part trampoline, then launch over a foam wall without touching it, and finally bounce high enough to ring the bell and get their next clue. What this has to do with Saskatoon I don't know, but it should be entertaining to watch. Brent decides to do the Roadblock.
With Brent & Sean in the lead, Dujean & Leilani decide there's no way they can do this task and opt to take the two hour penalty. I just don't understand why anyone would take a penalty for a simple math task. They're on their way to catch up to the Designers who have just arrived at the Trampoline Park. Sean is pretty pumped that Brent gets to jump around like a kid on his birthday, but it's too bad he couldn't bring balloons and a cake.
Brent's first attempt on part one was spoiled by a bad jump but he nailed it on his second run and moved on to part two. Unfortunately for Brent getting over the foam wall is going to be more of a challenge, which is what Neil & Kristen face when their first call at the flight boards is wrong. Time to crunch some more numbers. Nick & Matt also have to do some crunching. Gino & Jesse on the other hand, have figured out they need a formula to solve this. They should thank their math teacher.
Neil & Kristen think they've got it this time but once again they're wrong. Rather than keep pulling random flights they decide to follow Dujean & leilanis lead and take the penalty. I know that penalties are there to give the racer's an option but I've never seen so many quitters in a season. It almost vindicates Rex & Bob. Almost. Kristen is not happy with her father's decision.
Back at the trampolines, Brent has finally cleared the foam wall and, after figuring out how to get some height, ringing that bell was easy. He gets their next clue and Brent & Sean rip open the envelope to find a bottle cap imprinted with Original Founders. Outside the trampoline park they find someone who directs them back downtown to the Great Western Brewery, a task fit for Gord & Wayne.
As Brent & Sean leave Dujean & Leilani pull up and Dujean feels he can do it. He made short work of the first part as Neil & Kristin arrive and Kristen is still ticked at her dad but Leilani tries to console her with the fact that they could have been there a long time. Who knew Leilani was such a peace keeper. She's also pretty pleased that another team took a penalty so now all they need is to stay ahead of that team. Neil isn't as light on his feet as he used to be but Dujean cleared the wall and rang the bell in no time and he and Leilani were off.
Back on the tarmac, Gino & Jesse decide to convert their flight times to minutes and get the other teams to join forces to catch up to Brent & Sean and pass the penalty takers. Simi & Ope seem to be on the outside of this group running their own race and that's unfortunate because once they all worked together Gino & Jesse, Nick & Matt, and Brian & Cynthia all got the correct answer, leaving Simi & Ope in last place.
When Simi & Ope ask for a check Captain Pat tells them their durations are correct but their addition is wrong. It's a good thing that Simi is the calm one on this team because she is always having to refocus her father. As the three teams arrive at Apex, Kristen is still complaining when Matt and Cynthia sit down beside her to watch Nick and Brian bounce around. Little known fact, wrestlers train on trampolines. Who knew?
Nick and Jesse both breeze through part one and Nick just cleared the foam wall. Jesse? Not so much, but he made up for it on his second shot and both teams had it easy ringing the bell. Nick & Matt are just seconds ahead of Gino & Jesse as the race out of Apex and back to their Cruze. Kristen is looking less than impressed.
Meanwhile, Brent & Sean have found the Great Western Brewery and the clue box with the clue "Cap In Hand". The Great Western Brewery used to be an old O'Keefe's Brewery but when it shut down over 25 years ago, 16 original employees banded together to create the Great Western Brewing Company. Once inside teams will need to search through a bin of over 5,000 caps to find 15 bottle caps that identically match the original pale ale cap in their clue. Once they have all 16, an original employee will give them their next clue. Man, that's a lot of caps and not one beer to be drunk.
Brent & Sean don their protective gloves and get started, finding their first cap pretty quickly, while back at the airport Ope finally realizes the same thing Gino & Jesse did. He needs to convert his times to minutes. With that done they're given the next blue and race off to play catch up. That shouldn't be too hard as Neil & Kristen are still there along with Brian & Cynthia.
Not sure how long it took but Brent & Sean capped off their lead by finding all 15 caps in no time. Speaking of time, it's time for the Detour. This Detour will give teams a chance to master one of two techniques that First Nation's people have been performing for thousands of years, Nimitook or Mikwap.
Teams will need to travel outside the city of Saskatoon to the Wanuskiwin Heritage Park, an area dedicated to teaching the history of northern plains indigenous people. In Mikwap, teams will have to build a traditional teepee, using the provided materials and a finished teepee as a guide. In Nimitook, teams must perform a traditional hoop dance and learn to mimic five spirit shapes while performing the dance. No brainer for Gord & Wayne, we don't dance.
As Brent & Sean leave, Dujean & Leilani again pull up to the brewing company to try and overtake the Designers. Dujean has an eye for detail as he pulls cap after cap out of the bin, while Neil finally completes part one on the trampoline. Brian has some fun moves but he can't nail the squares in order without rolling into them. Apparently he doesn't think he can do it despite Cynthia's support. Maybe he should take a penalty.
Then again, maybe not. Right after complaining he couldn't do it, he did it. Neil had a much easier time clearing the foam wall than he did in part one, surprising his daughter even more when he then rang the bell and they received their next clue. They're off to the brewery but not before Dujean & Leilani have left and are off to perform hoop dancing where they'll find Brent & Sean who also chose Nimitook.
The boys get trained in the storytelling with their five hoops and they must make a snake, an eagle, a butterfly, a flower and then end with Mother Earth. They get the idea of all the shapes but I'm not sure about the dancing. Over at Apex Brian clears the wall and rings the bell putting them into fifth place so far as they head out.
Gino & Jesse and Nick & Matt arrive at the brewery together but Gino & Jesse are a lot better at finding those 15 caps than the Wrestlers are. The brothers have all 16 caps while Nick & Matt have only five. As Gino & Jesse grab their next clue Nick asks if they wanna just hang out. Nice try. Gino & Jesse decide to choose Mikwap as they drive off and Simi & Ope arrive at the trampoline park.
Ope just raced through part one but he was having some serious trouble getting any height for part two. Nick & Matt had no trouble finding the rest of their caps and are back trailing Gino & Jesse. As the Wrestlers drive away Brian & Cynthia pull into the parking lot and Brian's hoping it's a beer drinking task. Me too, Brian, me too. Neil & Kristin come in right behind them.
Time for Brent & Sean's first attempt at the hoop dance, then their second, then . . . Kristin broke a nail as Brian & Cynthia find all 16 caps and pull ahead. Neil & Kristin are right on their tail and both teams have chosen Mikwap. In the back of the pack, Ope clears the wall and rings the bell. They're still in this, and they don't have a two hour penalty to wait out.
Unlike Dujean & Leilani who have arrived at Nimitook causing a little stress for Brent & Sean because they're professional dancers. The boys don't know they took a two hour penalty though. Dujean & Leilani also failed their first attempt as Brian & Cynthia get lost on the wrong side of the river. These two have never been on my list of favourites this season and the more they race they ruder they seem to get with other teams and each other. A fine example of the Wnnipeg Police force.
Gino & Jesse have arrived at Mikwap and happy to see they've caught up to Brent & Sean. This looks like a no-brainer challenge for the boys who've built many things together and have already figured out how to construct their teepee. While Nick & Matt are on their way to the same challenge Matt reveals he was having dreams about building a teepee but then Nick says he dreams of eating sandwiches (hence the episode's title) or pancakes sometimes and Matt shrugs. These guys are funny.
Brent & Sean mess up their flower on their fifth attempt while Gino & Jesse stake down their teepee. The Designers really want to come in first for Brent's birthday leg and their sixth attempt keeps them in the lead as they receive their next clue. They now need to search the park, on foot, to find Jon and the next Pit Stop at the Wanuskewin Lookout Point.
Gino & Jesse call for a teepee check and they've nailed it on their first attempt. Time for a foot race to find Jon at that Pit Stop. While running through the park both Brent & Sean seem to be about to puke. These two kids are seriously out of shape. That said, and despite Sean choking out a lung at the mat, Brent & Sean are Team Number 1 and win a trip to Paris, France and a year of free gas. That's a pretty good birthday leg.
Gino & Jesse are Team Number 2 and when Jon asks where they find the fire to keep going and they admit they keep pushing each other. They're not just brothers they're best friends and that keeps them running.
Back at Mikwap, Nick & Matt ask for their first check but their sticks are wrong. Second check, sticks are wrong. Third check, sticks are wrong. Fourth check, I think the elder is getting tired of saying "your sticks are wrong".
As Brian tries to convince Cynthia she's gone in the wrong direction again, lo and behold she finds Wanuskewin. Once again Brian is proven wrong. You'd think he'd get tired of opening his mouth after awhile. He does admit that he gets frustrated way too easily and tends to take it out on those closest to him, but at least he knows he needs to work on that. They get started on their teepee as Nick & Matt keep trying.
On the topic of "keep trying" Simi & Ope have found all their caps and are now on their way to Nimitook. They're still in it and they know that two teams ahead of them still have to sit out a penalty. One of those teams, Dujean & Leilani are on their fourth attempt at the hoop dance, but they nailed it and are now searching for Jon as Neil & Kristin arrive at Mikwap.
Brian & Cynthia ask for their first check and guess what, . . . their sticks are wrong. While they disassemble their teepee Dujean & Leilani are the third team to arrive but they now have to sit out their two hour penalty until Jon can check them in. Time to just sit and wait.
Brian & Cynthia's second attempt has the sticks right but the wrapping is wrong. Nick & Matt on their fifth attempt have their first three poles wrong and down comes their teepee. Nick points out that Matt's dream has become his nightmare. Here's a thought boys, go check the example. Neil & Kristin aren't doing much better getting tangled up in knots over their teepee. They decide to check out the other side of the Detour but it doesn't look much easier.
Kristin leaves it up to her dad who finally decides they should switch, so they do. Their first attempt was pretty bad and on their third attempt Neil got caught in the hoops. At least the other dancers are having fun watching them. I think they should have stuck with the teepee, but then again Nick & Matt are still there. The elder comes over to tell Nick & Matt that their sticks are still not right on their sixth attempt. They decide to switch.
That may be a good call as Neil & Kristin apparently can dance with hoops, having completed the challenge on their sixth try. As the Wrestlers dress up, the father and daughter race to find Jon and Brian & Cynthia get a pass on their teepee's fourth attempt. At the dance Nick has proven he's no master of the hoop.
Neil & Kristen are the fourth team to arrive and must now start their two hour penalty, while Jon calls Dujean & Leilani to the mat having served their two hours. How could Neil & Kristen fall that far behind? Dujean & Leilani are Team Number 3, and Brian & Cynthia are Team Number 4.
Simi & Ope have arrived at Nimitook as Nick & Matt finally master the dance on their eighth attempt. Nick & Matt are Team Number 5, a big drop for them. When Jon asks what they're going to do to change that Nick says, "not build teepees".
It's down to Simi & Ope or Neil & Kristin for last place as Neil & Kristin wait out their last 40 minutes and Simi & Ope attempt the dance. 30 minutes to wait as Simi & Ope start attempt number four. They're so glad they got to experience the dance but even happier to have completed it. Now all they have to do is find Jon before Neil & Kristen's last 20 minutes of their penalty runs out.
They did it. Simi & Ope are the last team to arrive at the mat as Jon calls Neil & Kristen over. He tells Simi & Ope that they are Team Number 7 because of the penalty and unfortunately Neil & Kristen have been eliminated from the race. So close. Kristen is still so proud of her dad and that's great to hear.
Next week teams are on their way to Calcutta, India where chaos in the streets has all teams on edge in search of a zen moment. I'm looking forward to it, and thanks to my vacation I'll have a pretty short wait. Be back in a few days with my review of episode eight, maybe sooner if Wayne still wants to do a quick video recap of these last two legs. Until that time.