TARCon 13

[marigold]

Here's my Report from TARCon XIII.

Nice TARAsia, thanks for sharing it with us

Hopefully next season you'll have the free time for all your recaps

[TARAsia Fan]

who he, he who?

harley is a she, Jay. She is a friend of the Pink and Black Attack as well as Dave & Mary.

Peach posted her pictures from Kynt & Vyxsin's viewing parties in Louisville last season.

[georgiapeach]

Amd revengefully creative too!!

[apskip]

Thanks, Ken. I met Harley at TARCON XI and know she is a pistol. I did not realize that she is an RFF member since I cannot recall any posts by her.

[TARAsia Fan]

harley doesn't like to be spoiled, but we all know she's here.

[MarkYturralde]

Everyone, I just wanted to say thank you for such a great time at TARcon. I really enjoyed meeting and talking with everyone, and feeling like a Rock Star for a night.

Every single person has been fabulous. Warm, friendly and genuine. I'm deeply appreciative of the support and affection you've all sent out way.

I'm grateful in ways words cannot express for the chance to participate in this incredible adventure. You'd be blessed and lucky in life just to KNOW these people, and share time with them, much less run the amazing race with them.

Production is another great group of people. From the top down, everyone was a total class act, and when I say I loved this experience, I mean from the first contact, to the final interview. They're all a wonderful group of people.

I didn't win any $$$, but I did change my life. At elimination, I realized that I had to make a change. The physical condition I was in was simply no longer acceptable. It was one of those precious moments of clarity, when you truly decide on a deep, real long term level to make a fundamental lasting change in your life. I will never go back to being physically that guy.

I also realized, as I'm sure many do going through an experience like this, how very lucky and blessed I am. I have an incredible wife, who loves me so much it's truly humbling. I have four great kids, a wonderful job and career, the best friends a person could ever want, and everyone is healthy, happy and well fed. Simple things like knowing that all my friends and family have a roof over their heads, and enough to eat take on new meaning when confronted directly, with your own eyes, with levels of profound poverty.

Lastly, to have done this with Bill was the icing on the cake. Bill is one of the smartest people I personally know. More though, he's the most even tempered. The most accepting. The funniest. I cant imagine having done this with anyone else, and having a better time.

Thank you, and Race Love.

[TARAsia Fan]

Mark,

Great to see you on the board. It was tremendous to meet you and listen to your stories from Bolivia. Great stuff. Looking forward to seeing you more on RFF.

[Kiwi Jay]

You can second that Mark. Great to hear from you and hope you can stay on here at RFF. We (especially me) rooted for you guys and it was sad at your early elimination. 

[puddin]

Thank you for your awesomeness Mark , thank you for being cast on the race, thank you for entertaining us, and mostly thank you for being you! 

btw, you look marvelous!

[TARAsia Fan]

I can verify, Mark's in great shape now.

[harley]

Hi Y'all,

Yes I really do exist.  I just wanted to post my thoughts and pictures from TARcon.  Pictures can be found at this link:

http://harley.smugmug.com/gallery/6784596_Rf8MH/1/436416588_X4pgo

Under dire threats from Peach I have edited her out of the pictures.  But you might find a few other RFFers in the pics.

I arrived on the train around 10 am Friday and by 11:30 I was at Max Brenner's in Union Square drinking hot chocolate with a shot of Bailey’s.  Yummmm.  This was followed by a trip to Macy’s and B & H Photo.

After checking into our suite - Peach got us upgraded to a suite with a large terrace and views of the Empire State Building and Chrysler Building - we met several of the racers at a nail salon and we talked with them while they were getting their manis and pedis.  Ken and Terence were there but Arthur was the only guy to get a pedicure.  And he brought some glittery nail polish with him because he was afraid the nail salon wouldn't have any.

After having a tasty dinner of sushi and fish at Blue Fin in Times Square, Peach and I went to see Nick in The Fantasticks on Friday night.  He has a wonderful singing voice and is a good actor.  After the show was over, we had drinks (more Bailey's) with Nick, Monica (his fiancée), Starr, their parents, Toni, Dallas, Sarah, Mark and his wife Colleen, and Laurel (works wardrobe for Wicked). And Carol, PinkGodzilla, joined us too.  Everyone was super nice and had many stories – Dallas said it was an hour before he realized the Amazing fanny pack was missing.  He thinks it happened when the sound guys had to change his battery pack and in order to do so he had to remove the fanny pack.  On another occasion, Starr left her passport in an airport bathroom and had already boarded the plane when she discovered it was missing.  She ran back to the bathroom and it was still there.

I got to meet up with a high school classmate I hadn’t seen in 10 years.  She coincidentally was in NYC the same weekend I was there.  We played phone tag all day Friday and most of Saturday before meeting in the Tick Tock Saturday evening.

Peach and I were fortunate enough to be invited by the racers to attend some of the racer get-togethers they had over the weekend.  Terence was very friendly, loved to hug everyone, and was not as whiny and needy as he seemed on the show.  Anita and Arthur were so sweet.  Anita had never been to NYC before and she was looking forward to doing some exploring.  They were headed to the John Lennon Imagine memorial in Central Park the last time we saw them.  They used the same backpacks for their trip to NYC that they used on TAR and their team # was still attached to the backpack.  Ken and Tina were fun to hang out with and enjoyed sharing stories – during the finale, Tina thought there was only one tree to do the climb and jump; and that Nick and Starr were having to wait on her.  It was only after she finished that she found out Nick and Starr were already done and had left.  She feels like this cost them the game.  And if you ever need someone to hail a taxi, Tina’s your girl – Ken, Tina, Toni, Peach, and I were all trying to get a taxi.  Tina got a town car and I heard her scream, “Kennyyyyyy!” from halfway across Union Square.  (Love you Tina)  We all went running and piled in; with Peach getting the enviable position of being squeezed up against Kenny   We met everyone except Mark and Bill at a bar and danced until about 4 am.  Toni had a great time and danced tirelessly.  Starr and Sarah danced quite a bit as well.  Dan went out on the dance floor but so many people rushed out with cameras that he just came right back off the floor.

Peach, Chateau, TARAsia Fan, and I had lunch with Mark at the Tick Tock on Sunday.  He’s a very interesting guy and we talked about a lot of things including his serendipitous meeting with the author of a quote that is tattooed on his arm.  He has a very curious and inquiring mind.

We met all the racers at Rockefeller Plaza so they could have a group picture taken in front of the Christmas tree.  Many people recognized them and lots of people were taking pictures.  After that we met for another lunch with Nick and Starr, Ken and Tina, Toni and Dallas, Mark and Bill, Anita and Arthur, and Aja.  Chateau and TARAsia Fan had a chance to ask a lot of questions, and that group of racers likes to tell Race stories.

It was great to see everyone (and Chateau's jacket - what was that material?  Shark skin?  Silver lame?) at Stitch.  I’m sorry there was such a low turnout, but hopefully May will bring a return to the usual attendance.  I think my 70-yr-old Mom is going to come – she loves the show too.

CBS didn't even bring the weather guy out on the plaza on Monday morning (I don't blame them - I think the wind chill was eight).  But several of us got together with Anita and Arthur, Terence and Sarah, and Anthony and Stephanie for breakfast at Carnegie Deli.  It was delicious, but all too soon we had to say goodbye.  I think everyone had a really great time.

Now see what y'all got started.  I didn't post for almost a year and now you can't get me to shut up!

[TARAsia Fan]

Harley!!!

I'm glad you posted. Sunday was a lot of fun. In May, I'm in for the entire weekend, that's fer sure!

[georgiapeach]

Yay!! She's finally here!! 

Great summary, Harley! Thank you!

And wait till you see all her beautiful pictures!!

Love the avatar!


 

[puddin]

Haha thanks for sharing Harley! and thanks for the peek inside ........*wants a picture of peach on Kens lap!*

You all are great to share

[georgiapeach]

*wants a picture of peach on Kens lap!*

Shhhh...Tina's in the house!

Actually though...

[puddin]

*wants a picture of peach on Kens lap!*

Shhhh...Tina's in the house!

Actually though...

  Show it to me or else I'll tell...... 

[georgiapeach]

Let's see.... all bribes cheerfully accepted!

Starr on Dallas' lap 

Terence on Anita/Arthur/my lap....    {heeee.....}

Me in a Mark/Ken sandwich

Laps? well....

[puddin]

Let's see.... all bribes cheerfully accepted!

Starr on Dallas' lap 

Terence on Anita/Arthur/my lap....    {heeee.....}

Me in a Mark/Ken sandwich

Laps? well....

Damn I want to be the icing on that sandwich 

[TARAsia Fan]

You can ice my cake anytime.

[harley]

In May, I'm in for the entire weekend, that's fer sure!

Great!  More people to get in trouble wi... er, play with... er, I mean, see the beautiful sights of NYC with.  Yeah, that's what I mean.

[Kiwi Jay]

Hi Harley. Nice to finally meet you!  Hope you can stay on. 

[Pedaler]

Every  season could always be the last, so we need to cherish every one.

I did not hear that exact rumor, I did hear that the purse strings may be being tightened a bit.

So no tears Michael and kiwi  , as always, it will depend on the upcoming season I'm sure!

  Hi Ken!! Wasn't it FUN??!!

For real, Georgia Peach?  How can they do that?  Races used to take 30 to 33 days.  Race 13 was what, 22 days?  And I'm wouldn't be surprised if you detectives have determined the length of Race 14.   Was it less than 20?

Instead of going to India all the time, the race should always go to Southeast Asia and get some of that Caltex, Standard Chartered Bank, and Sony money.   

[Kiwi Jay]

We are all hoping that it was just a silly fud of a rumour.  will turn into  if it is reality  I really don't see why they should cut the race short 

[TARAsia Fan]

Don't forget this is a bad economy and the networks aren't getting the advertising revenue they used to. CBS has already laid off 500 people in the last week and expect more layoffs. No show is immune from budget cuts and with The Amazing Race being the most expensive show to produce due to the travel, cutting budget is not a surprise.

[georgiapeach]

What Ken said.

I was surprised this season when we had a glimpse into production (and sometimes racers) being put up in 5 star hotels. I am sure there are good logistical reasons for that, it just adds to the huge TAR budget.

This season we believe to be 23 days, perhaps +/- one.

What I am hearing from a few sources is that this may mean that we will again see more than one leg/country as we did this season x2....  which cut out at least two flights...