The Amazing Race 15 – Episode Eight
Aired 11-08-09
We picked up at the Pit Stop in Northern Holland. After the mandatory rest period, brothers Sam & Dan were the first to depart at 9:33PM. The teams had to fly to Stockholm, Sweden. Once there, they had to travel by train and ferry to the Tivoli Grona Lund amusement park and locate one of those demon drop-type rides. The brothers were excited to have a real first-place finish but they seemed in a crabby mood as they headed to the airport.
Dating couple, Meghan & Cheyne, were in 2nd place leaving at 9:48PM. They’ve been dating for over 4 years and Cheyne sees marriage in their future. He thinks their success so far in the race is a good indication of their compatibility. Harlem Globetrotters, Flight Time & Big Easy, followed at 10:32PM. It was Flight Time’s birthday and he wanted a victory.
Father and son team, Gary & Matt, were the 4th team to depart at 11:08PM. Gary’s now the oldest competitor in the race but Matt said he doesn’t seem like it. He’s always trying to keep up with his dad.
At the airport we found out there were two morning flights to Stockholm – one at 6:55AM and one at 9:25AM. Unfortunately the ticket counter didn’t open until 5:30AM so they settled in for a long wait.
The last team to depart was married couple, Brian & Ericka, at 1:38AM. They had a rough time during the last leg but persevered and made it through. Brian said that they’re excited to have the chance to show what a good team they make especially to Ericka’s mom who is still not comfortable with their interracial marriage.
Once the ticket counter opened, Meghan & Cheyne, Sam & Dan and Flight Time & Big Easy got tickets for the 6:55AM flight. Gary & Matt and Brian & Ericka were stuck on the later one.
In Stockholm, the first three teams made a dash to buy train tickets. Meghan & Cheyne and Sam & Dan made the first train but Flight & Easy had trouble with the ticket machine and had to catch the next one. The brothers and the dating couple had some success working together on the last leg and that continued at the amusement park. The next clue instructed them to have one team member ride the demon drop. While going up they had to look around for an arrow pointing them in the direction of the next clue. Cheyne and Sam helped each other find the arrow.
They quickly got to that next clue and found they had to play a ring toss game. In a plug for Travelocity, they had to toss a ring on to a cone. If the cone was covering a Travelocity gnome, they’d get the next clue on the bottom of the gnome. They would also have to carry the gnome with them for the rest of the leg. Both teams had no trouble getting a gnome. The next clue was a Detour.
Detour
The choice was between “Nobel Dynamite” and “Viking Alphabet”. In “Nobel Dynamite” the teams had to fill sandbags to create a protective bunker at a rock quarry. They then had to set off an explosion to unearth a box containing the next clue. In “Viking Alphabet”, the teams had to decode a message using the ancient Viking alphabet. Not a single team wanted to do that. They all wanted to blow stuff up.
Flight had to do the demon drop because it had a height limitation of 6′4″ and Big Easy was just too big. Flight had no trouble finding the arrow.
The other flight finally arrived and this time it was Gary & Matt who missed the first train out. Brian & Ericka’s luck seemed to be improving. Ericka easily found the arrow. About 15 minutes later, Matt was on the ride and also found the arrow on the first try.
The three leading teams arrived at the dynamite detour at the same time. We were then treated to a long scene of Meghan yelling at Cheyne. She wanted help and encouragement and for him to work with her but, mostly, she just seemed to want to yell his name over and over again. I like Meghan but she seriously needed a sedative.
The brothers were the first ones done with their bunker and happily set off their explosion. The next clue sent them to Bogs Gard Farm. The Globetrotters quickly followed them. It didn’t seem like Meghan & Cheyne were all that far behind but Meghan was still quite agitated.
Meanwhile, Gary & Matt fell further behind as they got lost looking for the rock quarry.
The brothers were the first to the farm and found the next clue. It was a Roadblock.
Roadblock
In a race “switchback”, one member of each team had to unroll hay bales in search of one of seven flags. In a previous season, one team searched for 10 hours and unrolled over 100 bales but never found their clue. The farm was also the Pit Stop so, once a team found a flag, it was just a short jog to Phil and the mat. Sam took the challenge and Dan “helped” by screaming at him nonstop. And I do mean nonstop.
Meghan & Cheyne arrived and, unbelievably, Cheyne didn’t volunteer to do the challenge. He just stood there when Meghan asked him. Finally she said, “Fine, I’ll do it ’cause you don’t want to do it.” Maybe she did have reason to yell at him. This was clearly a physically demanding challenge and, while Meghan’s an athletic woman, Cheyne certainly has more upper body strength. He said he didn’t do it because Meghan seemed to be “taking the lead” on the leg but, frankly, it looked like he wussed out. Between these two teams, this was one cranky roadblock. The mood didn’t even get lighter when Big Easy joined in.
Brian & Ericka blew up their box ahead of Gary & Matt but it seemed the father and son had made up some time.
Sam & Dan continued their screaming match and I think at one point Sam flipped his brother off. I couldn’t blame him. Dan was taking obnoxious to a new level. Meanwhile, Easy was the first to find a flag. He and Flight Time checked in and host Phil Keoghan informed them they’d won a trip for two to Turks and Caicos. It was a good birthday present for Flight Time.
Brian & Ericka arrived and, sensibly, Brian did the challenge. Gary & Matt were right behind and Gary began searching as Sam & Dan were still fighting and Meghan dissolved into tears. Eventually the light bulb flickered on for Dan and he realized what a jerk he was being.
Meghan was the next to find a flag and decided to psych out Cheyne by running to him screaming that she couldn’t do it anymore. He thought it was the funniest thing ever.
Meghan & Cheyne checked in 2nd. Cheyne said he was overwhelmed with pride at how Meghan performed.
Brian was the next to find a flag and he and Ericka checked in 3rd place.
Sam was next and he and Dan checked in 4th. Dan broke down saying that he wasn’t proud of the way he behaved.
Gary kept plugging away and, as the sun appeared to be setting, he found a flag. Phil informed the pair that they were the last team but – it was a non-elimination leg. They would survive to race another day. Matt said his dad was Superman and never gave up.
Next Week: We discover that Matt doesn’t know what a candelabra is and things get tense between the brothers and the Trotters.
Full episodes and bonus clips of TAR are available at CBS’ website here:
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