Fran and Barry Fall from First to Last in a Single Episode

I got it wrong. Fran and Barry went back to their old ways and fell from first to last in a single episode. Apparently Fran can’t dive so they chose the more labor-intensive detour of dragging branches across the beach in what is called ‘grooming the sand’ in a regular effort to fight erosion.

Sure enough, the hippies get a break at the very beginning by catching the same flight as all of the other teams. Before the flight, they asked the other teams for help. Ray and Yolanda and Fran and Barry gave them a bit of cash, but Eric and Jeremy wrote an I.O.U. and Joseph and Monica snubbed them completely after it sounds like the hippies threatened them with a Yield if given the chance if they didn’t donate any cash. It certainly wasn’t very hippie-like, and I didn’t know such a rivalry was brewing between MoJo and the Hippies, but that’s the drama for now.

On the way to the airport to catch a flight to Perth, Australia, the hippies pick up a Bedouin hitchhiker. This local traveler then hooks them up with candy bars, juice, and gas to get them to the airport. By mere minutes they catch the same flight as the rest of the teams. On the flight, they begged another $300 dollars from fellow passengers. The rest of the teams were given $180 for the leg. Getting this cash secured them for even-footing for the entire leg. Sure enough, they managed to finish third.

The first ever true footrace for first place at the end of tonight’s show for this season was good to see. Eric and Jeremy narrowly outran Joseph and Monica to win a trip to Hong Kong and first place for the fifth time in nine episodes. This is where they get the name of tonight’s episode, from Eric/Jeremy whining to Phil; “Do you know how much running I did today, Phil?” True, Eric and Jeremy ran the last leg and the other teams took a cab, but we’re talking a mile or two, not a marathon distance or anything. And before the final footrace, the most difficult thing about the diving detour was when Monica stalled a bit out of fear for a crawfish. I don’t know, but I’ve never thought of crawfish as scary.

This brings me to one little gripe; if I may. I have to admit I didn’t become a regular viewer of Amazing Race until it came to CBS. I remember catching only random episodes of the earlier seasons, but it seemed like the challenges were originally a bit more difficult. “I feel like Pirates in the Caribbean”, Yolanda commented while rowing through a narrow tunnel. It’s possible she meant she felt adventurous and brave, but I’m guessing she was relating the challenge to the amusement-ride at Disneyland. And I guess that’s how I feel about most of these detours and roadblocks.

TTOW! TTOW. What is TTOW? Again, only BJ and Tyler truly know, but I’m adding ‘Totally Tripped Out Weirdos’ to the guess-list. Not to judge, but because I like it. I wouldn’t bet money that’s what TTOW means, but it’s as good a guess as the rest so far. Whatever it means, the marketing-engine kept cranking in tonight’s episode. The hippies again wore their TTOW shirts (of course they had little else) and uttered the phrase repeatedly.

So now we’re down to Eric and Jeremy, Monica and Joseph, BJ and Tyler and Ray and Yolanda. I guess that shouldn’t be a real surprise – all young, strong, and smart. Of the four, I’m again calling out Ray and Yolanda to come in last next week.

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