Racing report
Amazing Race Season 19, Episode 10, GO out and get it done
Film date: 10/7 2011
I have tried to estimate distances and driving times every now and then. This data, from Google, is an approximation at best and may have no relationship to reality.
This episode starts as last episodes usually do with an expose of the earlier parts of the race. The only difference is that they have a special segment on Andy & Tommy and how they got eliminated.
Teams are release from Panama Viejo, the last pit stop in the following order:
| 1. | Jeremy & Sandy | 00:04 | |
| 2. | Ernie & Cindy | 00:05 | (+0:01) |
| 3. | Amani & Marcus | 00:06 | (+0:02) |
Route info: "Fly to your final destination Atlanta, Georgia". teams must now fly to their final city. Once there they must make their way to Flight Safety International where they will find their next clue.
Production has helpfully provided three taxis waiting by a gas station outside the ruins where teams start. Everybody makes their way directly to the airport.
Choice quotes:
"
This sucks", Sandy is not happy about Atlanta
"
Neither of us have any experience in Atlanta and we know the other teams have, extensive", Jeremy explains why it sucks
"
Oh man, Marcus & Amani are gonna have such an edge", Cindy on the fact that Marcus & Amani live in Atlanta
"
We are going home baby, Yippee", Amani is more stoked about the destination
At the airport everything is closed so teams have to wait until the morning. They all end up on the same flight:
DL392 PTY-ATL 08:26-13:27
When they exit the airport in Atlanta we see that all the teams have different strategies with their packs. Ernie & Cindy have gotten rid of one of their packs. Jeremy & Sandy have left both their packs while Marcus & Amani both still have their bags. The first teams have probably checked their bags and then just did not collect them in Atlanta.
There are plenty of taxis so teams take care to select a good one. Preferably one with a full tank of gas, GPS and driver with a phone. A problem is that nobody wants to take them since Flight Safety International is very near. But eventually they all find willing drivers and are off.
Choice quotes:
"
Every second in this last leg counts", Cindy is very tense, as is all the others
All teams arrive at an old fashioned clue box in front of Flight Safety International (3km 0:04) in the following order:
1. Jeremy & Sandy
2. Amani & Marcus
3. Ernie & Cindy, no more than 5 minutes after #1
Route info: "Become the pilot and co-pilot in a full flight simulator... land a Jet at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta international airport"
In this task teams must enter a real flight simulator and successfully land a simulated aircraft from an altitude of 2500ft. A professional flight instructor will guide them through the process. The pilot will handle the rudders while the co-pilot handles the power levels and other controls.
Teams are completely isolated inside the simulators so they have no idea how the other teams are doing. Marcus is having a hard time with this task. And the fact that he is rather large does not make it any easier.
The price for best supporting player goes to Amani who managed to keep her calm and be supportive in site of the numerous failed landings by Marcus.
Choice quotes:
"
This is awesome", Jeremy is excited
"
Now, I've never been in a flight simulator before. I don't like flying", Marcus
"
Holy cow, this is awesome", Cindy is also excited
"
I'm gonna throw up", Sandy fears she will be airsick
"
Flaps 20, gear down", The players also have to practice the lingo
"
What the heck was that", Cindy realizes something is wrong
"
We were so slow we were falling out of the sky", It turns out Cindy did not do her job with the power levels
"
Flaps down, gear 20", Marcus mixes things up a little
Teams complete this task in the following order (the * indicate who was the pilot):
1(+0) Jeremy* & Sandy, succeeded on their first try
2(+1) Ernie* & Cindy, made 2 tries and are 15-20 minutes after #1
3(-1) Amani & Marcus*, after 12 tries
Route info: "Find the former residence known as The Dump". Teams must now figure out that the dump is the former residence of Margaret Mitchell, who wrote "Gone With the Wind".
Jeremy & Sandy ask around and find a guy in a truck who knows where the dump is. He is quite correct, unfortunately it is the wrong dump This is a furniture store which is a bit out of the way (24km 0:22). They go there and spend some time searching before they finally find somebody with a smartphone they can use to search for the real dump (6km 0:10).
Choice quotes:
"
Former residence know as the dump", Jeremy keep repeating the clue while in the furniture store
Meanwhile Cindy is using the drivers phone. they looked up a bunch of useful phone numbers while they were waiting in Panama and now she puts this to good use. They figure out where they need to go and are off.
Choice quotes:
"
To loose it to the boys would be one thing, but to loose it to Sandy & Jeremy or Amani & Marcus would be like loosing it to like my brother or something like that", Ernie can't bear the though on not being first
"
It would be like loosing it to the C students, and we're A+ students", Cindy (who is not entirely serious)
Teams arrive at the correct dump (17km 0:16in the following order:
1(+1) Ernie & Cindy
2(-1) Jeremy & Sandy
3(+0) Amani & Marcus
ROAD BLOCK
Who gives a damn?
The additional info reads:
BLOCK
In the room where
Margaret Mitchell wrote
"Gone With The Wind",
and on the same style
typewriter, completely
type out your next clue.
Contestants must go to the very room where "Gone With the Wind" was written. Here they must use an old typewriter, a Remington 3, to type out their next clue. The text they must copy is written on a piece of paper lying on a table. A twist is that this typewriter lacks a separate key for the number 1. They must figure out that they can use a lowercase L instead.
This task is harder than it looks. They must figure out how to load the paper and then write everything out correctly. There is a sizable stack of papers by each typewriter and the players go through a lot of sheets before they eventually get it.
Ernie resorted to look at the actual typefaces to find the character which looked like a '1', which is quite a good idea.
Choice quotes:
"
*Gong*", A sound effect covers what Ernie and Cindy say when they open the additional information (to be on the safe side they also blur their mouths)
"
You give any support in how to operate this thing?", Ernie hopefully asks the judge (who doesn't even answer)
"
I probably should have done this one", Cindy
"
There is no '1'", Ernie finds the twist
"
This is not a Mac", Sandy is out of her depth
"
This is where we get tricky, huh?", Sandy encounters the twist
Teams complete the roadblock in the following order (* denotes team member performing the road block, and the numbers how many roadblocks each team member have performed):
| 1(+0) | Ernie* & Cindy | (7-6) | |
| 2(+0) | Jeremy & Sandy* | (6-7) | |
| 3(+0) | Amani & Marcus* | (7-6) | |
The clue they need to type out reads:
Route info:
These numbers are all the information you will need to find the
location of the next clue:
"44 - 715 - 74"
Teams must now figure out that the numbers commemorate former hall of fame Hank Aaron 715th home run in 1974. He played as number 44 and his home field was Turner field, and this is where teams will find their next clue.
Ernie & Cindy go to the nearest hotel where they use Google to figure it out.
Jeremy & Sandy somewhat later end up at the same hotel. The staff recognizes the the frazzled look of the players with a clue in hand and cameras and can immediately tell them where to go.
Choice quotes:
"
Not normally, but just for this time", The clerk at the hotel lets Cindy behind the desk (the TV-camera might have had something to do with it)
Teams reach the clue box at Turner Field (7km 0:11) in the following order:
1(+0) Ernie & Cindy
2(+0) Jeremy & Sandy
3(+0) Amani & Marcus
Route info, one team member must now strap into a harness and climb around a giant map. On this they must drag a line to recreate their race route. They must anchor it in carbine hook placed in the correct countries. The actual map is very large, something like 10x6m, and a bit up in the air. Players are hooked into some sort of motorized pulley system so it is fairly easy for them to navigate vertically.
The correct route is: Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, Malawi, Denmark, Belgium, Panama, USA.
The team member not climbing the map must stand in a small marked square on the ground. They are free to shout instructions to their partner if they want.
What we are not shown but learn from interviews is that there is a 15 minute rigging time. That is teams must spend 15 minutes getting hooked into the thing and receiving a safety briefing. There is also a 10 minutes unrig time when teams are done.
Choice quotes:
"
Holy bananas, this is an enormous map", Cindy
"
Span, France, Belgium, Netherlands", You can tell Cindy has studied geography
"
This is the coolest map ever", Cindy appreciated the challenge
This task looks great on television due to the enormous size of the map. But for teams who have been paying attention the actual task is quite simple. Which is evident in the way Cindy flew through the challenge. Jeremy also completed it fairly quickly.
Teams complete this task in the following order (a * denotes the climbing player):
1(+0) Ernie & Cindy*, got it on her first try
2(+0) Jeremy* & Sandy, missed Indonesia the first time
3(+0) Amani & Marcus*
Ar last: the Finish Line!
Travel by taxi to the
Swan House!
When you reach the
entrance gates, run to
the Finish Line.
Go, Go, Go!!!
Choice quotes:
"
This is for all the marbles", Ernie in the final taxi ride
"
I'm so happy you have a GPS Ben", Cindy to their driver
"
Recalculating", The GPS get to say this a lot
"
Maybe their taxi broke down", Sandy has some hope
The editing suggests that there is a tense taxi race between Ernie & Cindy and Jeremy & Sandy where the former have a lead but their GPS always go 'Recalculating'. They actually do a decent job of getting this look exciting, at least given the circumstances. And the teams really were tense. But in reality Ernie & Cindy were about a hour ahead.
Teams reach Phil at the Swan house (16km 0:17) in the following order:
1(+0) Ernie & Cindy, win the grand prize of $1,000,000
2(+0) Jeremy & Sandy, about an hour later
3(+0) Amani & Marcus, significantly later
Ernie & Cindy say the want to start an organization to multiply the money and give to those in need. Something along the lines of micro credits.
Choice quotes:
"
4 continents, 10 countries, 20 cities and more than 35,000 miles", Phil
"
The race has been the best pre-marital counseling that you can ever get", Cindy feels she know Ernie now
"
Marcus, promise me one thing... You will never become a pilot", Phil
"
I think the big lesson in this that you are not gonna win at everything, but whatever you do do not quit. Give it your all and go for it", Amani
