Amazing Race Fodder

The Amazing Race goes to Italy

And now for another fun installment of The Amazing Race. As usual, teams leave in the same order that they arrived. Ron & Christina's first clue tells them to travel to Ancona, Italy via ferry to find their next clue. They are instructed to take a bus to meet the ferry. Vyxsin is very excited to be going to Italy.

Teams arrive at the bus station to find that the first bus leaves at 5:00, which surprisingly leaves Ron, Christina, Kynt, Vyxsin, Nathan and Jennifer in good stead, seeing as how the other teams will not be able to catch that bus. TK & Rachel are all on their own bus, and Nicolas & Donald further behind yet. However, all the teams make it on the same ferry to Ancona. Can I just say that Kynt's Boy George hat takes me right back to school dances in the early 80's. I LOVED my chartreuse dress! No, really. Anyway, the teams take off running when they get off the ferry and everyone but TK & Rachel run right past the clue.

Teams now must drive themselves to the town of Empoli in the heart of Tuscany, where they will make their way to an airfield to find their next clue. To add to the fun, teams have been given a Blackberry. Phil tells us that sometime during their 200 mile drive, they will receive a message. But, they are not allowed to use it for any other purpose. I love watching them leave all together in cars. It always reminds me of Mario Cart gone haywire. At least in Mario cart, you know where you are supposed to be going (well most of the time).

Everyone then realizes they have no idea where they are going and accordingly stops for directions. Nathan & Jennifer get directions from someone that tells them a "short-cut" that they should avoid Bologna and go through Forli. TK & Rachel are told to get their via Rome then Florence, and all the other teams are told to head for Bologna then Florence then Empoli. TK & Rachel freak out because they cannot find their clue (they left it at the cafe where they got directions) and pull over to search the car. Die-hard race fans will remember that they have to have each clue when they check in at the Pit Stop, or they have to go back and get it. Well, they back track and find it at the cafe. Although, I think it would have been more interesting if they would not have been able to find it.

While on the trip the message they get on the Blackberry is an exciting side trip opportunity with a secret leg up. No, not true. It is just the mushy I miss you notes from family and friends. We do however, find out that TK stands for Thomas Kyle.

The road to Bologna reveals lots of traffic and a detour that has nothing to do with the race. The teams are detoured off the highway one exit before the stop they wanted. Meanwhile, Nathan & Jennifer arrive at the airfield in Empoil and grab the #1 marker. Tk & Rachel grab #2.

The clue they pick up here is a Roadblock (with a Fast Forward tucked in). In this roadblock, one team member must soar in an ultralight over the tuscan countryside looking for the name of their next destination. When they think they see it, they must motion to their pilot to bring them back down. Once on the ground, they tell the pilot the word and if they are correct, the pilot will hande them their next clue. There is a 30 minute flight time limit, so if they have not found it by then, they must land to refuel. The password is Vinci.

The Fast Forward is the only of its kind in this race. The first team to find and complete a Fast Forward can skip all the tasks laying ahead and go directly to the Pit Stop. But beware, if you finish the task, but are not the first team to do so, you will have go go back and do all the other tasks you were hoping to skip. This FF takes the teams to Fabio studio for a seafaring tradition. This tradition happens to be tatooing. They must each get a premanant tatoo of the letters ff in order to get the clue. Now, I have always wanted a tatoo, but I would prefer it to be one of my choosing, not CBS'.

Ronald & Christina argue about the task, Donald & Jonahtan decide to try the Fast Forward, and Kynt & Vyxsin are still lost in Italy. Nathan manages to find Vinci first, and they get their next clue. Teams must now drive themselves to Vinci, home of you guessed it, Leonardo DaVinci. Nathan & Jennifer arrive at the DaVinci estate where they search for their next clue. Meanwhile, Donald & Jonathan get their matching tatoos and head for the Pit Stop. I am not going to tell you where it is just yet, or if they come in first, you will just have to keep reading to find out. Back to Vinci...Nathan & Jennifer find a Detour. In this Detour, teams must choose between Invention or Tradition. In invention, teams travel to a courtyard where they must assemble a crane designed by DaVinci and lift a huge stone 1 foot off the ground. Once this is done, they can place a mirror under the rock to find the name of their next destination. In tradition, teams must find a Piazza where they will learn a traditional flag routine. When they have executed the routine correctly, they will be handed a flag with the name of their next destination.

Kynt & Vyxsin catch up to Tk & Rachel who are still searching for Vinci. Nathan & Jennifer attempt to learn the flag routine. Let's just say that Nathan was not a member of his high school flag team. But they do manage to get it after a few tries. The flag says Boboli Gardens, Florence and they head off. Ronald & Christina also try their hand at flag throwing and are succesful. Kynt & Vyxsin want to try invention, but change their mind and go to Tradition. There is a little tiff on the way to the next detour and have car trouble. They have to leave their car and jog to the next place because they do not want to waste time waiting for a replacement car. TK & Rachel manage to finish the invention and get going, only to blow a tire along the way. Meanwhile, Kynt & Vyxsin's replacement car is ready when they return from finishing the flag task.

The Pit Stop is indeed the Boboli Gardens in Florence. The teams arrive in the following order:

1. Donald & Jonathan who win a trip to Cancun

2. Nathan & Jennifer who still have not had a chance to come in first

3. Ronald & Christina

4. Tk & Rachel

5. Kynt & Vyxsin who are NOT eliminated from the race. Woo Hoo!
But there is a catch.

Phil tells them that sometime in the next leg they will hit a Speedbump. It will be a task that only they will be required to complete while the other teams keep racing. They will not be forewarned and may have to work extra hard to catch up. We shall see next week.


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