Racing report
Amazing Race Season 29, Episode 8, "Good Job Donkey"
Film date: 2016-06-23 - 2016-06-24
The last pit stop was at Campo San Vio, Venice, on the 22nd. Teams are released from a different place in Venice the following day in the following order:
1. | Matt & Redmond | 11:15 | |
2. | Becca & Floyd | 12:08 | +0:53 |
3. | Tara & Joey | 12:28 | +1:13 |
4. | Brooke & Scott | 13:01 | +1:46 |
5. | London & Logan | 13:02 | +1:47 |
6. | Liz & Michael | 13:11 | +1:56 |
The first clue is a route info which instructs teams to travel to Patras, Greece. Once here they will find their next clue waiting on the marked cars.
Production has chartered a plane which takes the races to Bari, Italy. From here they take the Superfast ferry which departs at 19:30 and arrives in Patras the next day at 13:00.
According to teams the flight was heaven with champagne and sweets. This was perhaps meant to compensate for the ferry ride which was closer to hell with no beds and loads of people trying to sleep everywhere in the cramped quarters.
In Patras teams pick up their cars )manual transmission= and learn that they have to drive themselves to Arahova (136km 2h14min). They also learn that there is another double U-turn directly ahead.
"
The clue said there is a double U-turn directly ahead which is pretty scary", Redmond fears that they will be U-turned
The drive to Arahova is long and beautiful. Along the way they have to cross the impressive Rion-Arion bridge which takes them to the mainland.
"
Thank you very much for being such a wonderful navigator", Becca to Floyd, and we can hear the drums of doom in the background
Becca & Floyd, aka Team Fun, misread their directions and end up on smaller roads before they have even crossed the bridge. Then they miss the exit to the bridge an have to travel an extra 40km to be able to finally get up on the bridge.
Liz & Michael pulls an interesting move and passes three other teams on the road. Unfortunately for them they then make a false turn. Liz & Michael see that they lost the three teams where were behind them. Liz wants to turn around but Michael wants to find another road going in the right direction. Unfortunately for him there is no such road on he map. He still refuses to turn around. Eventually they end up on a small dirt road up in he mountains. Finally Michael relents and they turn back, but they have lost a lot of time.
"
I don't want to turn around, I don't wanna backtrack. Can we make a right up here somewhere?", Michael
London & Logan are also having trouble, but nowhere near as severe as Liz & Michael. But when they want to turn around Logan can not get the car into reverse. So London jump out and push.
Tara & Joey are the first to arrive in Arahova and they find the marked parking and a Greek wedding. They do not see the clue box but instead join the revelers in dancing and asks for the next clue. The clue here is not in a normal clue box but rather a big wooden box marked with a race-colored ribbon.
Teams arrive at the U-turn board in Arahova in the following order:
1. Brooke & Scott, U-turns Liz & Michael
2. Tara & Joey. U-turns Becca & Floyd
3. Matt & Redmond, seconds after #1
4. London & Logan
5. Liz & Michael, long after the other teams
6. Becca & Floyd, a few minutes after #5
Detour: For the bride or for the groom
In for the bride teams must saddle a donkey and load two tins of sheep milk. They must then lead their donkey along a marked path and deliver the milk to two cheese-making ladies who each will give them a piece of cheese in return. They must then give both pieces of cheese to the bride.
In for the groom teams take part in a local sporting custom. They must race up a steep 252 steps long staircase to the local church. Behind the church they will find a shepherd which will give them each a gift for the groom. This gift turns out to be a live goat or lamb.
In contrast to some donkeys from earlier seasons these seem fairly docile and actually do follow teams. Maybe not as fast as the teams would have liked, but they are moving.
"
I stepped in poop, that's probably good luck", Brooke
"
Good job donkey", Tara gets the title
Matt & Redmond seems to have named their donkey Seabisquit.
Liz & Michael are shocked to see that Brooke & Scott U-turned them.
"
Wow, thanks Brooke & Scott", Liz (with a hint, no make that a heavy dose, of sarcasm in her voice)
"
I'm so glad Brooke that I helped you in Dar es Salaam when you couldn't finish your damn ladle", Michel talks to the camera
Becca & Floyd are also very surprised that they have been U-turned.
"
We're team fun. No one wants to U-turn team fun!", Becca
We also learn that the first cheese lady is not located right on the marked path but rather down a side street, well visible from the path though. Becca & Floyd miss her on their first trip with the donkey. As they are looking for her they run into Liz & Michael who are on their way to the other detour. Now both teams know they are close.
"
There you are sneaky cheese lady", Becca when they finally find the second lady
Becca & Floyd name their donkey Speedy McSpeederson. He even gets a name plate in the telecast with the title "Professional Donkey".
"
If there is any time to be fun and positive it is right now", Floyd
The U-turned teams are the only ones doing the groom side of the detour. Later we learn that race up the stairs starts once every 5 minutes.
"
Oh my god", Michael sees the stairs they have to run up
"
Bastard stairs", Michael is not built for running up stairs
"
Channel team fun, channel positivity", Floyd to Becca at the starting line
Liz & Michael make a mistake at the top and only pick up one goat. They learn this when they get back to the wedding and have to go back up to get another animal.
Teams complete the detour in the following order:
1(+1) Tara & Joey, bride
2(+1) Matt & Redmond, bride
3(-2) Brooke & Scott, bride
4(+0) London & Logan, bride
- Liz & Michael, bride
- Becca & Floyd, bride
5(+0) Liz & Michael, groom
6(+0) Becca & Floyd, groom, a minute or so after #5
Once teams have completed the detour they are given a plate. When they smash this they find a small laminated card, marked with race colors, inside. This reads
PANATHENAIC STADIUM
KALLIMAOMARO IN ATHENS
Teams must now drive themselves to this stadium (183km 2h23min).
In the extra scenes we see London & Logan finding another stadium. They soon realize that this is not the stadium they are looking for.
Teams arrive at the correct stadium in the following order:
1(+0) Tara & Joey
2(+0) Matt & Redmond
3(+0) Brooke & Scott, seconds after #2
4(+0) London & Logan
5(+1) Becca & Floyd
6(+1) Liz & Michael, a minute or so after #5
Here teams find a speed bump and a clue box.
The speed bump is for Liz & Michael and instructs them to go to a nearby food cart and help prepare Kokoretsi. That is they have to use intestines to wrap a couple of skewers. Liz seems grossed out by the task, but it is right up Micheal's alley so they completed it fairly quickly.
The clue tells teams they must complete one lap around the stadium in order to get their next clue. This is the stadium where the first modern Olympics were held so it has some historic significance.
"
I definitely had the chills running around there", Tara
"
I'm not a runner", Brooke keeps the negativity flowing
Tara & Joey also encounter Phil here. He does one of his live narration things as they arrive and run their lap.
Becca & Floyd are very happy when they arrive and see that the speed bump has not yet been touched. But as they return from completing their lap they notice that the clue has now been taken so they realize Liz & Michael is right behind them.
Teams complete their lap around the stadium in the following order:
1(+0) Tara & Joey
2(+0) Matt & Redmond
3(+0) Brooke & Scott, a few more seconds after #2
4(+0) London & Logan
5(=0) Becca & Floyd
6(+0) Liz & Michael
Route info: "Make your way on foot to the Zappeion and search for your next clue".
The Zappeion is the big impressive building in a parkright across the street so it is hard to miss. Nobody gets lost along the way and once at the Zappeion teams find their next clue in a jar on the steps.
Road block: Who thinks they can step in time?
In this road block contestants must learn part of a complicated choreography performed by he guards at the tomb of the unknown soldier.
Tara feel confident performing this since she has been in the army for 20 years so she should know drill and ceremony,
The rule this season is that nobody may do more than 4 road blocks before the end of the 9th leg. Some team are running up against this limit here and are therefore directed who must do this task.
"
He's just gonna look so adorable in his outfit", Redmond about Matt
"
It could be a race fir first, It's a footrace through. Second is find", Scott when Brooke gets approved soon after Tara
"
This is like marching band all over again", Liz betrays her past
Liz & Michael arrive at the road block as Becca is doing her first attempt.
Floyd and Mike hug each other when Becca get approved. hey both know that it will take a miracle for Liz & Michael to catch up at that point.
Teams complete this road block in the following order (* denotes team member doing the roadblock):
1(+0) | Tara* & Joey | (4-3) | On her 2nd shown attempt |
2(+1) | Brooke* & Scott | (4-3) | On her 2nd shown attempt |
3(-1) | Matt* & Redmond | (3-4) | On his 1st shown attempt |
4(+0) | London* & Logan | (4-3) | On her 2nd shown attempt |
5(+0) | Becca* & Floyd | (3-3) | On her 2nd shown attempt |
6(+0) | Liz* & Michael | ($-3) | On her 1st shown attempt |
In her episode recap London say that she got approved on her third attempt. The first time she got docked for smiling too much and on the second here uniform wan not neat enough.
The next route info tells teams to find the next pit stop on the ground surrounding to the Acropolis.
"
Where is the Acropolis? I'm dying, and I still haven't peed", Brooke when she exits the road block
Teams reach Phil at the pit stop in the following order:
1(+0) Tara & Joey, win %7500 each
2(+1) Matt & Redmond
3(-1) Brooke & Scott
4(+0) London & Logan
5(+0) Becca & Floyd
6(+0) Liz & Michael, are eliminated
Liz & Michael probably arrived at the pit stop about 20-25 minutes after Becca & Floyd. They accept defeat gracefully and leave the race with their heads held up high.
"
She's my little sister from here on out. I'll be checking in with her", Michael has formed a bod with Liz