Exactly. Are they the victims of the SwitchBack, which is actually a twist which forces the other team member to complete the Roadblock after the first team member has done it? I can totally see one of those all-male teams using it on Meghan and Cheyne to slow them down to kill them out of the race.... because they're simply doing so well and racing so fast.
If Cheyne does the hay bales the first time and then Meghan, it means a team is ahead of C&M to switch them back.
Maybe the bottom of the gnome holds the "info" for the SwitchBack.
But the gnome is an inshow promotion from Travelocity, that's why they are there. I don't expect the gnome to be anything other than a "who gets a trip" prize.
BUT I am still VERY puzzled by why Meghan is choosing this RB to do. As fans of the show, I would expect all of the teams knew exactly what they were getting into when they saw the haybales.
So a new game twist as Joab and gator suggest could be VERY interesting and might explain Meghan's choice (LACK of choice??) in doing this RB. It also gives the TPTB one more shot at having a woman doing this task again, which I am sure they were desperately hoping for.
Viewers have been proposing a new RB twist for sometime, there are whole threads about it across the boards. Maybe TBTB that be finally paid attention??
We do need to remember that at this point that we have NO EVIDENCE that the switchback is anything other than a revisit to an old RB site. But giving that revisit a name {{Switchback}}} that could fit with Detour/Roadblock/U-turn, combined with the very puzzling (to me) fact of Meghan choosing this RB to do when she clearly doesn't need to, is making me think that a NEW RB twist could actually be possible after all.
It will be fun to see how TPTB handle all this!!
And yes, pure speculation, but in the realm of possibility:
IF this is a new game twist.... WHO would be inclined to "Switchback" Meghan and Cheyne??
A panicked Brian/Ericka who are desperately trying to escape last place? the Trotters, who were foreshadowed in Dubai saying we will do ANYTHING it takes to stay in the game?? Dan and Sam getting competitve??
Okay, I am convinced!
I've gone to the dark side! Now I'll be disappointed if it isn't anything but a RB revisit.
But not as disappointed as I will be if there is no Lena.edited to add:
Okay, still thinking this through here.
Would be really have a new RB twist AND a NEL?? Even if the NEL may not have originally been meant for this leg??
More mystery!!