S26.E07: Back in Business / S26.E08 Moment of Truth (Namibia)

[Camera One]

Oh, surely a plant, but it was interesting to see which teams asked him to translate, as opposed to seeking out white (German-looking?) people either within the bookshop itself or a nearby hotel.

I guess I mis-heard but I thought he gave a different km number to Hayley and Blair than the hotel gave to Tyler and Laura.  I was afraid Hayley and Blair would get lost because of it.

 

I guess he might have continued hanging around since he might be able to help other teams.  He did like quite conspicuous just hanging out there.  They didn't need to plant a helper since lots of people were able to assist.

[humbleopinion]

I am sure the pitch of Hayley's voice had animals running away for miles and miles.

I like the guys having a good time watching their team mates running around the drop zone looking for their yellow case.

The time the dudes spend together at the rest stops and at the airports keeps Blair and Jelani sane.

[Camera One]

Blair and Jelani can think of this as an extremely long and painful team-building exercise.

[Wouldofshouldof]

Henripootel, I'm enjoying your perspective on TAR's visit to Namibia.  There's something I've wondered about when teams sleep out in tents like they did here - do you think there were armed guards posted around to keep animals away, or maybe it wasn't necessary where they were?

[Rancide]

I like Tyler and Laura but it seems everyone else doesn't. What am I missing? 

 

I also like him.  I wasn't fond of some of the comments he made when he had to dress up like a woman, but other than that, I've found him to be pretty laid-back, calm, and respectful.  When Laura lost them first place and $5000 each by wrongly proclaiming that the path the hairdressers took to scale the rocks was impossible, he didn't freak out or berate her.  Even when she asked him what happened and how the hairdressers got there, he just calmly told her the path they took without adding "see, I told you so" or even sounding annoyed about it.  Not too many other racers would have been able to keep their composure like that. 

 

Sure, Tyler can have a bit of a sharp tongue on him when describing other racers, but I haven't really heard him say anything vicious or entirely undeserved.  Mostly he says what a lot of other people on these threads are saying.  And he doesn't seem to dwell on it either--just comments and moves on.  Mostly he seems to be running his own race, keeping a positive attitude, and having a good time, which I think is refreshing to see.  Especially in contrast to the other remaining blind date couples.  

 

Speaking of the other blind date couples, since Hayley has dialed back the shrieking to maybe a 5 or 6, I'm starting to feel more sorry for Jelani than Blair.  I'm starting to get the sense that Jelani may be as put-upon as Blair or more but is just being more quiet/low-profile about it.  This may be in part because Hayley seems more prone to the kinds of big blowouts and meltdowns that make for more dramatic TV whereas Jelani just seems to endure a constant torrent of low-level abuse all day long.  I can't remember the last time I heard Jenny say anything to Jelani that didn't involve either ordering him around or criticizing him.  And while Blair can occasionally be provoked into speaking out or talking back or at least making a snide comment to the cameras, Jelani just seems resigned to taking it.

[justawatcher]

Know what would be fun? On the next Unfinished Business/All Stars race, put Blair and Jelani together and Hayley and Jenny hehehehehe

[blackwing]

Tyler did well with the tires, he seemed to have less issues than most. Steve and Aly had the speeded up last place finish so I don't think we got to see him handle the tires, but I'm sure he'd have no issues.

I laughed so much when teams were choosing between tires and sand skiing and Hayley said "I don't like skiing." Then as they are running away, Blaire turns to Hayley and says "Crushing my dreams!" He seemed good natured about it, it made me laugh.

[hendersonrocks]

What a stunningly beautiful two legs, aesthetically speaking. What a terribly boring two legs, in terms of racing.

 

I hope the producers look at what's happened the last two NELs and vow to never repeat them. In both cases, the team at the back had no legitimate chance to get back in, and in both the speed bump was essentially the same thing (assemble a grasshopper made out of leaves! assemble a toy made out of cans!). I'm biased towards both Jonathan & Harley and Steve & Aly, but still...come on. We've got to do better than this.

 

Blair: CALL ME.

[Camera One]

I think Steve & Aly did have a slightly better chance at catching up, but they ran another error-prone leg.  If Steve had retrieved the pack as quickly as Jelani did, if Aly was able to get the Hut task done faster, etc., they could have made up some time.  The biggest obstacle was putting the U-Turn on this leg.  That pretty much guaranteed their loss.

[Waldo13]

That's what I meant. We patch tubeless tyres all the time, but usually they take the tyre off the rim and apply the plug from the inside. Never seen one patched with that needle thingy. But it looks to work fine, so maybe I'd better make me one!

I'm dating myself but in the old days when tubeless tires were bias belted that's the way they were repaired especially when the cause of the flat was obvious like with a nail. I've repaired many myself without a problem. When radial tubeless tires where introduced, the preferred method is to patch the tire from the inside. I was a little surprised to see the way the tire was fixed and didn't know that method was even available anymore. They could have left the nail, in the tire, if the roads were well paved. If it was me, I would have taken a chance and just used the spare tire.

[etagloh]

In both cases, the team at the back had no legitimate chance to get back in

I disagree on this because of the amount of self-navigation in these two legs compared to the ones in Thailand. Driving long distances doesn't always get treated as a task by itself, because it doesn't make for good television, but the 215km (133-ish mile) drive to the Pit Stop in the NEL and some substantial driving in the second Namibia leg were challenges all by themselves. Had Steve and Aly run a perfect second leg, perhaps the U-Turn would have done them in at the end, but I think they had more opportunity to save themselves across the two legs than Harley and Jonathan.

[anonymiss]

I'm glad the Olympians got eliminated over the remaining couples. I found them boring and unrelatable (like I do basically all Olympians who compete on reality shows).

Edited April 20, 2015 by anonymiss

[hendersonrocks]

Had Steve and Aly run a perfect second leg, perhaps the U-Turn would have done them in at the end, but I think they had more opportunity to save themselves across the two legs than Harley and Jonathan.

 

From the time of the NEL on, I agree they had more opportunity than Harley and Jonathan--but I still disagree that they ever had much of a legitimate chance. I'm trying to look at these are the two separate legs/episodes they were, and from their NEL on it didn't seem like navigation was ever enough of a risk factor for the other teams--they were driven away from the Pit Stop and into town, and the navigation seemed pretty straightforward from there on out. And yeah, the double U turn basically removed all doubt.

 

It was just a curious leg design, is all I'm saying. If the producers want NELs to potentially result in those teams getting back in the mix--and not just racing hours behind everyone else and then being eliminated the very next leg--it seems like they have some work to do.

[Netfoot]

I think Steve & Aly did have a slightly better chance at catching up, but they ran another error-prone leg.  If Steve had retrieved the pack as quickly as Jelani did, if Aly was able to get the Hut task done faster, etc., they could have made up some time.  The biggest obstacle was putting the U-Turn on this leg.  That pretty much guaranteed their loss.

 

I don't know if it was heat, dehydration, or just plain old KF, but Aly seemed to be at the end of her rope.  At one point she was becoming nearly incoherent:

 

Steve:  Aly, what was the next direction, Babe?

 

Aly: I'm trying to, like, read where you, 'cause you wrote the words... not next to the sentence... and some have errors, some don't and I think I'm going in the r... I...

[henripootel]

There's something I've wondered about when teams sleep out in tents like they did here - do you think there were armed guards posted around to keep animals away, or maybe it wasn't necessary where they were?

Not where they were.  There may be the odd big cat about but so I'd stick close to the fire but inside your tent, you'll be fine.  I've been in my tent (elsewhere) and had lions cough like 3 feet from my head, which is alarming.  But I'd been reliably informed that they think of tents as solid objects, which seems to be true, thank god.  Elephants can be a worry but they tend to keep to themselves at night, which is good as they're pretty goddamn dangerous.

 

There are a few places left in Namibia where, if you leave your tent at night, you stand a fair chance of getting killed.  Very few, and you have to know where to go, but it's an experience worth having.  Focuses the mind, it does, and makes you appreciate walking around at night in safety. 

[blackwing]

I think Steve & Aly did have a slightly better chance at catching up, but they ran another error-prone leg.  If Steve had retrieved the pack as quickly as Jelani did, if Aly was able to get the Hut task done faster, etc., they could have made up some time.  The biggest obstacle was putting the U-Turn on this leg.  That pretty much guaranteed their loss.

I would argue that a huge part of why they got eliminated is because of bad luck that they were the first ones out of the airport in Namibia.  They got the first bush plane.  Which means they got the first car.  Which means they got to the hut task first.  Which means they couldn't see anyone else doing the task and had no idea what to expect.  They stuck with their method of alternating roadblocks and therefore Aly got it.  Aly lost them tons of time because she was weak and had trouble digging the holes.  They dropped from first to fourth place, which made them do the elephant hunt task, which put them at the back of the pack.

 

Had Steve done the Roadblock, I'm sure they would have been one of the first three teams and done the meat detour and would have had no issues.  Of course, even though they were at the back, they still made mistakes.  Particularly the flat tire.  That put them in dead last, when they might have finished fifth.  So they get the speed bump.  On the second leg, I think they would have had no chance to recover even without Steve taking a long time looking for the drop and without the double U turn.

[etagloh]

It was just a curious leg design, is all I'm saying. If the producers want NELs to potentially result in those teams getting back in the mix--and not just racing hours behind everyone else and then being eliminated the very next leg--it seems like they have some work to do.

Mike and Rochelle had problems navigating in the second leg, but they've not been great at navigation throughout; Jenny and Jelani had their flat. The driving was certainly easier in the second leg, and on better roads, but still covered decent distances: 80km or so from Swakopmond to Dorob, then back south through Swakopmond to the Pit Stop, about 120km, so perhaps 200km in total.

There's clearly a balance between a post-NEL elimination leg that levels out all the teams with a bunch, and one that carries over the time differentials and throws in a Speed Bump for good measure. The Bangkok leg was probably meant to start with a flight bunch and didn't. The use of drivers at the start of the second leg in Namibia was meant to carry over the time gaps, probably with an eye on the teams' safety.

My gut sense is that TPTB have a rough ETA blocked out for first and last teams, especially for NELs, and beyond that, any bunching starts to look like shenanigans. You're right that this hasn't created much competition at the back of the pack this season. But Aly and Steve's deficit was accumulated over many separate mistakes that continued into the second leg, and they'd most likely have been eliminated even without the U-Turn.

[Boilergal]

Added to the list of things you need to know before going on the amazing race - Learn to Read a Map and give directions to the driver.

 

You have 1 job in the backseat - READ THE MAP!!  Aly and Rochelle just sat there totally helpless.  I guess with built in GPS systems this is becoming more and more of a lost skill - but on the Amazing Race you know you are going to have to navigate - so practice.

 

I Love Tyler and Laura - they seem to get along the best and take everything in stride.  I could seem them being friends and hanging out after the race.

 

The Not-Skydiving was mean -  I thought the one person was going to tandem dive with the box and the other was going to have to track them down.  

[Starla]

I'm not really sure why it was relevant, but I laughed out loud at the Darth Vader music while Matt and Ashley were clomping up the hill in their skis. 

[Haleth]

Newspaper guy looks like a plant!

Like a Fern? (Someone had to say it.)

Edited April 20, 2015 by Haleth

[ProfCrash]

I actually think that Steve and Aly were screwed when Mike and Rochelle were allowed to do the Pack roadblock instead of the track. The Pack roadblock was a lot faster then the track. I believe Mike and Rochelle were in fourth place when they left the roadblock, meaning that they passed Blair and Haley and Steve and Aly. I think Mike and Rochelle should have been forced to do track sine the other two teams were not given the option of waiting to do the Pack and were told that they had to do Track.

 

Track required teams learn how to use a new piece of equipment and find the elephants using said equipment. Elephants can wander pretty far and it looked like the teams had to go pretty far to find them. The Pack was a set time to cut the meat, a set route, to a set location that probably was not on the other side of the park. It was guaranteed to be faster. Allowing Mike and Rochelle to do the easier and faster roadblock was not fair to the teams that did not have the option.

[KarateKate]

Haley is insufferable, but she is a good racer. The moment with the kids was really sweet.

I am not a Haley fan, but she passes the Flo test with flying colors. She reminds me of Bernadette on "Big Bang Theory" in a lot of ways. From the view we get of her on TAR I do wonder about her ability to remain unflappable and useful in emergency nursing situation, but I fully understand the ability of some people to turn "the job" on and off - and be really great when "on", but you would never guess it when they are "off"! MrKate is a cop, and he isn't an "I am the job" sort of cop so many people have been really surprised when they found it out. And overtly wondered at his demeanor not seeming like it would have the edge needed for policing. I honestly think the ability to turn "the job" on and off in high stakes jobs is a really, really great quality, and generally makes you better when you are "on". All that to say, I have to believe Haley - for all her whining and whatnot- is probably really great at her job and the related patient care when she is "on".

Again, she easily passes the Flo test of race partner suckitude, so while she isn't carrying the team, I do feel she is carrying her weight 

 

The teams should have been allowed to wait for the feed-the-pack option.  The fact that the last team was able to take the easier challenge made no sense.  Of course, TBTB wanted the elephant-tracking option to be used....so guaranteed that it would be.  Just from a quick description, it was obvious which task was going to be the fastest....you control your destiny with the dogs or you learn a new skill and hope you find an elephant, lol.

I wonder if they were given the choice, and we weren't shown? Which, seems odd they wouldn't show that, but I actually can't imagine any team picking to wait if given the option. 

[ProfCrash]

I have not rewatched but I remember them being told that the Pack was closed. Both teams seemed to respond in a manner that suggests that they were not given the opportunity to wait. Rob Has a Podcast discussed this a bit. I disagree with their analysis that the roadblock were equal but they posited that the Elephant Tracking was expensive to set up and they really wanted someone to do it so that the teams were forced to do it since no one would chose it otherwise. I think they are right with that assessment.

 

This season has had a bunch of roadblocks were the contestants had no choice but to do one that was assigned to them or stuck at the one they choose or were forced to do one because the other was full. It seems like they are hell bent on making sure that both sides of a roadblock are completed.

[Jersey Guy 87]

I actually think that Steve and Aly were screwed when Mike and Rochelle were allowed to do the Pack roadblock instead of the track. The Pack roadblock was a lot faster then the track. I believe Mike and Rochelle were in fourth place when they left the roadblock, meaning that they passed Blair and Haley and Steve and Aly. I think Mike and Rochelle should have been forced to do track sine the other two teams were not given the option of waiting to do the Pack and were told that they had to do Track.

 

Track required teams learn how to use a new piece of equipment and find the elephants using said equipment. Elephants can wander pretty far and it looked like the teams had to go pretty far to find them. The Pack was a set time to cut the meat, a set route, to a set location that probably was not on the other side of the park. It was guaranteed to be faster. Allowing Mike and Rochelle to do the easier and faster roadblock was not fair to the teams that did not have the option.

 

I agree it was unfair for Mike and Rochelle to do Pack even though they were in last place.  However, Steve and Aly completed Track before Hayley and Blair, it was only when they got their flat tire that they fell behind.  And that was avoidable.

[joshmaeks]

They've been really cautious about teams driving through Africa ever since Brian and Greg rolled their jeep.

Aw, Brian and Greg, two of my favorite contestants ever. The leg in Africa that season was pretty exciting.

[proserpina65]

I like Tyler and Laura but it seems everyone else doesn't. What am I missing? How did Tyler finish that task when they arrived 2nd to last after going back to the salt lick?

 

Whatever it is, I'm missing too, because I also like them.  (Mostly 'cause he's hot.)  He must've really rocked that hut task.

[proserpina65]

The teams should have been allowed to wait for the feed-the-pack option.  The fact that the last team was able to take the easier challenge made no sense.  Of course, TBTB wanted the elephant-tracking option to be used....so guaranteed that it would be.  Just from a quick description, it was obvious which task was going to be the fastest....you control your destiny with the dogs or you learn a new skill and hope you find an elephant, lol.

Who knows how long they might've had to wait, though.

[blackwing]

Apparently not long enough to make a difference, considering that Mike and Rochelle vaulted from last to fourth.

 

Mike and Rochelle are fairly terrible racers.  Yes Mike, you have the strongest girl on the race.  But you're also perhaps the weakest male.  He is overweight and lacks stamina.  They have terrible navigational skills.  And yet they keep bumbling into survival.  If these two make the finals like Dan and Andrew did several years back, I will scream.

[Netfoot]

You have 1 job in the backseat - READ THE MAP!!  Aly and Rochelle just sat there totally helpless.  I guess with built in GPS systems this is becoming more and more of a lost skill - but on the Amazing Race you know you are going to have to navigate - so practice. 

 

Yea.  I'm planning a trip right now, where the maps aren't that great and there is very spotty internet / cellular coverage out of town.   A certain level of map reading ability is required if we don't want to get lost in the Bush (capital 'B').

 

I think map reading is quite definitely a skill that used to be far more commonplace and is now less so.  Just the other day at a friend's house, his grandson was unable to use the phone in the bedroom because it was an old, black number with a dial.  I hear that some youngsters can't tell the time unless it's a digital clock/watch.

[Eolivet]

I guess a flat tire isn't covered in "If a car breaks down through no fault of their own..." I can't remember the last time I saw a team changing/patching a flat tire. They'd have been better off if the car had just stopped running.

 

I don't like Matt and Ashley, and never have. Well, I like her fine, but I remember how obnoxious he was at the synchronized dancing: rooting for other teams to fail, talking up his own abilities when he was one of the worst ones there. And no man who calls another woman a "bitch" (regardless of what Jenni did) gets a pass from me. Your edit might have gotten better, Matt, but I have a long memory of contestants who casually throw out gendered insults like that.

 

And add me to the chorus of people who think the Detours need to be balanced. SO sick of Good Detour/Bad Detour.

[needschocolate]

Blair sure isn't perfect, but I don't know how he doesn't just stab Hayley in the eye & end her.

 

He is probably wishing he wasn't a doctor - I am pretty sure stabbing someone in the eye goes against the hippocratic oath.  

 

There's clearly a balance between a post-NEL elimination leg that levels out all the teams with a bunch, and one that carries over the time differentials and throws in a Speed Bump for good measure. The Bangkok leg was probably meant to start with a flight bunch and didn't. The use of drivers at the start of the second leg in Namibia was meant to carry over the time gaps, probably with an eye on the teams' safety.

 

How about a post-NEL leg that carries over time differentials, throws in a speed bump, and has a double U-turn?  It seems to me that they have done this sort of thing a few times before and I don't like it.  

 

Sure, all is fair in love and TAR, and it is theoretically possible that another team could get horribly lost or have terrible taxi luck or lose the amazing fanny pack, and the ones who benefited from the NEL could survive to race another leg, but, realistically, any team that has to start off behind everyone else, do an extra task, and is the likely choice to be u-turned is going to be philimated.  I have no great love of the ones who left, but it makes for a boring race if you are rather certain who is leaving before the leg gets underway. 

[etagloh]

realistically, any team that has to start off behind everyone else, do an extra task, and is the likely choice to be u-turned is going to be philimated. I have no great love of the ones who left, but it makes for a boring race if you are rather certain who is leaving before the leg gets underway.

It was an uphill struggle for the team in last, as it often is, but the case-drop Road Block was clearly one where you could bleed time or make it up: Jelani rattled it off, while Mike struggled badly. Steve had the physical fitness not to get exhausted, but messed up the navigation. Had the Express Pass not been in play, or another team been U-Turned with them, then it wouldn't have felt as processional.

From the TV Guide exit interview, it sounds like Steve and Aly's driving woes ran into the second day:

You were only 20 minutes behind after the first leg, so it seemed feasible that you could catch up, even with the Speed Bump.

Steve: I think we definitely had opportunities to catch up. We just didn't take advantage of them. We got lost the second day. ... [The Speed Bump] took maybe like 10 minutes. It just seems so much longer when you know you're already behind and you're trying to catch up. Even five minutes seems like an eternity. ... And then I ran miles in the wrong direction looking for the box, which didn't help. Like Aly said, it was one thing after another.

Now, they're not going to say that TPTB stitched them up like kippers after the NEL, but 20 minutes plus a 10-minute Speed Bump seems like a navigable gap if you run a no-mistake leg.

[La Dee Da]

You have 1 job in the backseat - READ THE MAP!!  Aly and Rochelle just sat there totally helpless.  I guess with built in GPS systems this is becoming more and more of a lost skill - but on the Amazing Race you know you are going to have to navigate - so practice.

 

I usually look at the map before I go somewhere so I can smuggly tell the GPS computer lady when she gets it wrong, which also seems to be a vital TAR skill :) But on the serious side, I would say practice plus bringing highlighters to trace out the routes (we did that for our visitors when I worked at a tourist bureau).   

 

Mike and Rochelle are fairly terrible racers.  Yes Mike, you have the strongest girl on the race.  But you're also perhaps the weakest male.  He is overweight and lacks stamina.  They have terrible navigational skills.  And yet they keep bumbling into survival.  If these two make the finals like Dan and Andrew did several years back, I will scream.

They aren't the best skilled, it's true.  But when Mike said something to the effect of wanting to keep going so he could see the new location that was coming next, I thought that's the attitude I'd like to have as a racer. 

[jhlipton]

At least one of the female racers said the her dad dressed dear, which is why she became a vegetarian.  I can see why this would bring up (sorry!) bad memories.
 
 

In a season where everyone is comfortable acting like Jenni and Hayley are shrew hellbeasts, I can see why Aly would go the PA route as to not fall into that trap.

I'm not sure if I can make through another four episodes of "wimmin is bitches,yo!" For all we know, the guys are just as pissy, but that doesn't fit the theme of the show.  Guh.

[Netfoot]

I guess a flat tire isn't covered in "If a car breaks down through no fault of their own..." I can't remember the last time I saw a team changing/patching a flat tire. They'd have been better off if the car had just stopped running.

 

I don't understand it.  I used to be able to change the wheel on my car in 90 seconds flat -- without asking my passengers to disembark  (1964 Morris Mini 850).  Now, in my old-age, I doubt it would take more than 4-5 minutes if I was in a hurry, even if I was driving something with an inaccessible spare, like a pickup.  A flat tyre wouldn't be any real concern, unless I thought the terrain made it unsafe to drive without a good spare.  And this being a race and all, well, you'd just grit your teeth and carry on, hoping you didn't get a second puncture.

 

When these people are at home, what do they do when they get a flat?

[Special K]

Yea.  I'm planning a trip right now, where the maps aren't that great and there is very spotty internet / cellular coverage out of town.   A certain level of map reading ability is required if we don't want to get lost in the Bush (capital 'B').

 

I think map reading is quite definitely a skill that used to be far more commonplace and is now less so.  Just the other day at a friend's house, his grandson was unable to use the phone in the bedroom because it was an old, black number with a dial.  I hear that some youngsters can't tell the time unless it's a digital clock/watch.

 

This oldster appreciates your use of the word "youngsters." 

 

And I agree with your post in general.

[AZChristian]

 

When these people are at home, what do they do when they get a flat?

 

I know what I do . . . I call AAA. 

[fishcakes]

Yes, with AAA or whatever road service comes with your auto insurance and Fix-a-Flat in a can, knowing how to change a tire is less common. Car manufacturers are moving toward not including spare tires as well, so I'm a little surprised that the cars they get on TAR, which are all new, even have one.

[henripootel]

Now, in my old-age, I doubt it would take more than 4-5 minutes if I was in a hurry, even if I was driving something with an inaccessible spare, like a pickup.

Pretty sure production rented cars rather than corralling them from actual locals.  The rental companies all base out Windhoek and even the 4x4s usually have standard city tires.  Back when I used to rent there, I noticed that rental agreements usually said that the 4x4s were only covered for 'usual wear and tear', which precipitated an argument about what that actually meant.  Long story short, I was renting off-road vehicles that were only covered for 'on-road' behavior.  This usually meant tires, and I got tons of flats I had to pay for.  Which I had to change using the included jack, usually a scissor-lift type (like the one we saw), very unsuitable for changing a flat in Namibian dust.

Edited April 21, 2015 by henripootel

[Taylorh2]

He is probably wishing he wasn't a doctor - I am pretty sure stabbing someone in the eye goes against the hippocratic oath.  

 

 

How about a post-NEL leg that carries over time differentials, throws in a speed bump, and has a double U-turn?  It seems to me that they have done this sort of thing a few times before and I don't like it.  

 

Sure, all is fair in love and TAR, and it is theoretically possible that another team could get horribly lost or have terrible taxi luck or lose the amazing fanny pack, and the ones who benefited from the NEL could survive to race another leg, but, realistically, any team that has to start off behind everyone else, do an extra task, and is the likely choice to be u-turned is going to be philimated.  I have no great love of the ones who left, but it makes for a boring race if you are rather certain who is leaving before the leg gets underway. 

[North of Eden]

No spark without Jeff and Jackie. I miss them...no one to root for. Meanwhile Team Truck stop continue to bumble through the race and stay in and please no more about sheltering your kid...I just dont care!

[Netfoot]

When these people are at home, what do they do when they get a flat?

 

I know what I do . . . I call AAA. 

 

So, the people who crossed the continent in Conestoga wagons pioneer the west are now reduced to hoping they get cell service so they can call for help changing a tyre.  Next you'll be telling me you don't know how to put a tyre back on the rim with hairspray and a lighter!

[AZChristian]

So, the people who crossed the continent in Conestoga wagons pioneer the west are now reduced to hoping they get cell service so they can call for help changing a tyre.  Next you'll be telling me you don't know how to put a tyre back on the rim with hairspray and a lighter!

 

You're pulling  my leg, Netfoot.  I can tell by the way you spell "tyre" that you've never been anywhere near a Conestoga wagon.  LOL. 

[kingshearte]

I was so irritated at Aly (especially since they'd been trading RBs all along and were just following that pattern, and it wasn't like she said "but I have a feeling this one will be better for you, so can we switch for once?"--she just did it and if she had just been complaining about how hard it was, that would have been annoying but understandable, but she was mad at Steve for not taking it!  That made no sense!

I almost got the impression that the alternating thing was something Steve had just been implicitly orchestrating, without her necessarily realizing it. Something along the lines of "You do this one. I'll do this one. You do this one," as opposed to "Let's alternate — I'll do this one. I did the last one, so you do this one," and so on, if that makes any sense, and she's just been going with it, because why not, I guess. Does that make any sense?

 

On the other hand, she had clearly hit a wall by this point, and was just generally off the rails, so maybe she just managed to completely lose sight of their previous alternating strategy. I have no idea, but those two really lost it on these legs. On one hand, it was surprising, because they seemed so competent, and we usually expect a lot from high-end athletes. On the other hand, high-end athletes are used to good, regular sleeping and eating habits, which they don't really get on the race, so it does make sense that it would start to wear on them, sometimes more than people who are more used to sleeping and eating a little more haphazardly.

 

I thought the Meat task required them to wait until every piece of meat was eaten.  Maybe that would have evened out the difficulty with the tracking-elephant task.

I think there would be serious practical challenges with that. For one thing, as someone else pointed out, by the time Mike & Rochelle got there, the dogs were clearly less hungry, so they would potentially eat a lot slower, and not even necessarily finish it all anytime soon. Or they could reject some or all of it for some other reason, which would screw a team over in a way they had absolutely no way of dealing with. Plus, wasn't there more than one team at the actual feeding part at the same time? I don't know how you'd track which meat came from which team, so you'd basically have to hold them all until all the meat, including the last team's offerings, had been consumed, which would seriously suck for the team that got there and finished the part over which they had control first.

 

Still chuckling at the sight of the teams setting up for the tire drag task.  Almost all commented about how heavy the tires were as they were attempting to drag them into position for chaining.  What is there about the concept they didn't seem to understand that tires, um...ya' know...roll when placed on end?

We had that conversation at our place, too. Mr. kingshearte was just about ready to throw things at the TV watching them struggle to drag these ridiculously heavy tires around.

 

Sure, Tyler can have a bit of a sharp tongue on him when describing other racers, but I haven't really heard him say anything vicious or entirely undeserved.  Mostly he says what a lot of other people on these threads are saying.  And he doesn't seem to dwell on it either--just comments and moves on.  Mostly he seems to be running his own race, keeping a positive attitude, and having a good time, which I think is refreshing to see.  Especially in contrast to the other remaining blind date couples.

I kind of agree with this, and basically like these two. They can be a bit snarky, but so can I, and so can many of the people I like the most in real life. And it doesn't strike me as entirely fair to judge people too harshly for exhibiting the same behaviour we do here. And so far, I pretty much love the way they treat each other. They have individually screwed up — badly, in some cases (fanny pack, anyone) — but we haven't seen any teammate berating as a result, which is kind of amazing. So yeah. For me, they'll have to get a good deal meaner before I'll dislike them.

 

If the producers want NELs to potentially result in those teams getting back in the mix--and not just racing hours behind everyone else and then being eliminated the very next leg--it seems like they have some work to do.

This. If nothing else, I think that Speed Bumps and U-Turns should never appear in the same leg.

[kakiphony]

They aren't the best skilled, it's true.  But when Mike said something to the effect of wanting to keep going so he could see the new location that was coming next, I thought that's the attitude I'd like to have as a racer. 

 

Exactly! They may be a little bumbling and not as physical, but Team Truckstop seems to be truly appreciative of the chance to see the world that the race has given them. That and the fact that they never give up, even when tasks are clearly much harder for them than for others (like Mike almost puking from the running at the drop box location), make me like them. I also appreciated Rochelle's uncomplaining hard work while building the hut -- a stark contrast to Aly's constant whining. 

[Bella]

 

 

I almost got the impression that the alternating thing was something Steve had just been implicitly orchestrating, without her necessarily realizing it. Something along the lines of "You do this one. I'll do this one. You do this one," as opposed to "Let's alternate — I'll do this one. I did the last one, so you do this one," and so on, if that makes any sense, and she's just been going with it, because why not, I guess. Does that make any sense?

On the other hand, she had clearly hit a wall by this point, and was just generally off the rails, so maybe she just managed to completely lose sight of their previous alternating strategy. I have no idea, but those two really lost it on these legs. On one hand, it was surprising, because they seemed so competent, and we usually expect a lot from high-end athletes. On the other hand, high-end athletes are used to good, regular sleeping and eating habits, which they don't really get on the race, so it does make sense that it would start to wear on them, sometimes more than people who are more used to sleeping and eating a little more haphazardly.

 

It's good to have a plan, but if a team rigidly sticks with it when there are compelling reasons to shift gears, the plan becomes a hindrance. I think that's what we saw happening here.

[survivinmt]

Regarding the bones: I bet they had the NO BONES rule in play so that the buckets got more evenly filled. I know of no reason to not give wild dogs entire carcasses. They fed Yellowstone wolves full road-kill carcasses when they first arrived and were in pens.

My husband is a mechanic and he patches tires all the time like that. I have one like that on my (high-performance) car that has held for over a year now. He says he's never seen one fail. The ones I've seen him and his co-workers do are a lot "cleaner" of a job. With nothing poking out. But it's nice because tire removal is completely unnecessary and the entire process takes less than 10 minutes even when not "quick, quick" or whatever she was saying. Yikes! And you can keep a kit like that anywhere - takes up about as much space as a paperback book.

Ashley's kiss with the funny face was hilarious. I like how she immediately apologized. I too thought she may be pregnant while gagging about the meat.

I don't think any of the teams could see what Get Grassy was about, blackwing. Otherwise I don't think Rochelle would have done it. Jennifer was totally seething there. Blech. I really think this is where Aly lost it for their team. You really can't trade out so just shut it and DO IT.

I'm not sure why teams as they got closer to the first Pit Stop started thinking they needed to turn before they saw a sign. You don't normally print a sign for something that is 215 km away and then stop putting up signs as you get closer, if a turn is required. Thus the assumption that you stay on the main or current road.

I like Tyler and Laura and Hayley and Blair. I think both of those teams are realizing their race is more important than a relationship and just working on getting through the race. Some are getting the job (of changing their behavior) done better than others. I loved Tyler's enthusiasm over the road work and his joking about Laura looking for the stairs - she took the ribbing quite well too.

[Vantraveller]

You're pulling  my leg, Netfoot.  I can tell by the way you spell "tyre" that you've never been anywhere near a Conestoga wagon.  LOL. 

I agree with Netfoot. "Tyre" is the way to go! Lol

[Vyas]

If nothing else, I think that Speed Bumps and U-Turns should never appear in the same leg.

 

No, because S22's Roller-Derby Moms Mona and Beth proved that a team can overcome both.

 

Also, the stirring rendition of the TAR theme that played while Matt and Ashley were on the dunes - IIRC the exact same song used when the F9 of S17 learned that they were going to Swedish Lapland - brought fuzzy memories of S2's Shola and Doyin, whose shock boot over a dozen years ago was rather more poignant than that of Steve and Aly.

[AZChristian]

I agree with Netfoot. "Tyre" is the way to go! Lol

 

I'm headed your way in November . . . maybe I'll learn how to spell it correctly (probably sometime after I learn which side of the road to drive on . . . like NEVER!).

 

Seriously, we're going to cruise Australia and New Zealand, and dreaming of ending it up with Sydney Harbour Bridge Walk.  I'm old, but I think I can train and do it!!!

 

OK - back to TAR (which I would NEVER do).