The Amazing Race

Air Date: 11/8/09
View Date: 11/12/09

The teams start off from Holland and start heading to Stockholm to go to an amusement park for their next clue. And Happy Birthday to Flight Time! Once at the airport, three teams are able to get onto an early flight, and the other two have to wait for a flight almost 3 hours later. After arriving in Sweeden, the teams raced to get a train to Stockholm, then had to take a ferry to get to their destination. The Globetrotters missed the train the first teams got on and thus got behind.

After arriving at the amusement park and finding the tallest ride, the teams discovered a road block, where one team member needed to ride the ride and look for an arrow that would direct them to their next clue. The first two teams worked together and spotted the clue on their first attempt, then took the giant plunge on the thrill ride. The teams then made their way to a roaming gnome ring toss. They had to toss rings onto giant gnome hats that hid Travelocity roaming gnomes containing their next clue.

Sweden is best known for two things, the Vikings and Nobel, which set up the detour on this leg of the race. In Nobel Dynamite, the teams had to fill sand bags to create a protective barrier. After the formation was complete, they would then set off dynamite that would blow up a portion of the rock quarry and reveal a box containing their next clue. In Viking Alphabet, teams must decipher a message using an ancient Viking alphabet. Once that is done, they will receive their next clue. All teams wound up choosing the dynamite task. After donning protective gear, the teams made their way to the blasting site. The teams didn't realize how hard it would be to construct a sand bag wall.

The teams then had to drive to a farm used during a former season, the first time Phil ever had to go out and stop a team during the competition. That task involved unrolling hay bales looking for clues, but there was not a clue in every bale. The task was recreated in a switchback, where only 7 flags were available in well over 100 bales. This time, the farm was also the pit stop for the race.

The Globetrotters were successful, which was a great birthday present, and came in first place on this leg, winning a trip from Travelocity. The last two teams showed up while everyone but the basketball players were still in the field. The father/son team finished in last place, but this was a non-elimination leg. So next time, they will have to complete a task no other team will need to do, and time is not on their side.

10 words or less: Happy Birthday Flight Time!