THE AMAZING RACE 18 “We’re Good American People (Switzerland)” Recap

THE AMAZING RACE 18 “We’re Good American People (Switzerland)” Season 18 Episode 9 - It’s a double U-Turn elimination leg with an eating challenge that makes me never want to see cheese again as the six remaining teams go from Salzburg, Austria to Switzerland in the “We’re Good American People” leg of THE AMAZING RACE. Beyond the competition, this is one of the most beautiful legs I can remember. Gorgeous views everywhere we look.

Villa Trapp Pit Stop:

Last leg’s Ford Focus-sponsored winners Zev/Justin are the first to get their clue at 3:14am. Flight Time/Big Easy are next, followed by Kent/Vixsyn, Kisha/Jen, and Jet/Cord. Gary/Mallory, who were saved because the last leg was an NEL, leave last at 4:36am–46 minutes after the cowboys. Teams must travel to Feldkirch, Austrian border and cross over into Schaanwald, Liechtenstein and are warned that a Double U-Turn is looming.

All the teams end up on the same train to Feldkirch and the scenery is beyond stunning.

Border crossing:

Gary/Mallory are the first to get a cab in Feldkirch, but their driver is slow while Zev/Justin get a competitive cab driver who, after realizing they weren’t terrorists, drove on the shoulder to put them in the lead. Once teams cross over, they find a clue telling them it’s Roadblock time. Non-competing team members get to hang out at Gutenberg Castle to wait for their partners.

Speed Bump:

Gary/Mallory must “Fuel Solex,” creating the right mixture of gas and oil to power the motorbike. Because the correct ratio is 25 parts gas to 1 part oil, they must figure out they need two liters of gas, which Gary does, though Mallory initially wants to use 50 liters. Gary then uses the bike for the Roadblock. I like that the Speed Bump is related to the Roadblock and that while not overly difficult, it also isn’t a complete gimme.

Roadblock:

Using a Solex motorized bike with an electronic odometer, Racers must follow their maps to ride the 22km across Liechtenstein, measuring the country as they go. Jen, Jet, Vixsyn, Flight Time, and Justin hop right on their bikes. Gary is just a few minutes behind after he and Mallory complete their Speed Bump.

More than one team has navigational issues. Jet takes a wrong turn and Jen loses her map while Vixsyn and Justin both have trouble reading theirs. Gary catches up to Jet, but Jet leaves him behind, which ends up being a bad decision on his part when Gary gets help and he doesn’t.

Justin is the first to get to the end of the line and has the 22 km correct. He helps Jen, who is directly behind him. Jet finishes the task next, but his answer of 35 is very wrong and he must do it again. Flight Time passes Justin on his ride and Justin tells him the correct answer is 22. Flight Time then tells Gary the answer and they finish third and fourth. Vixsyn finishes fifth and has the correct answer on her own. Jet gets 22 on his second try, officially finishing last.

Back at Gutenberg Castle, we learn that teams must travel by bus and train to Zermatt, Switzerland, located at the base of the Matterhorn. Their next clue is somewhere in the train station there.

Zermatt:

Travelling to Zermatt, Zev/Justin and Kisha/Jen are on the first train, while Flight Time/Big Easy, Gary/Mallory, and Kent/Vixsyn are on the second with the lone rangers Jet/Cord all alone on a third. The clue box is easy enough to find and it’s Detour time.

Detour:

Cheese or Wheeze: In Cheese, teams must eat an entire pot of fondue at the Walliserkanne Restaurant. When they’ve eaten all the cheese, they get an empty pot with the clue printed on it. In Wheeze, teams walk throughout Zermatt, delivering twenty pieces of luggage to at least five hotels. When teams bring twenty correct tags to the train station porter, they get their next clue.

Cheese:

Zev/Justin, Kisha/Jen initially choose Cheese, but Kisha/Jen switch quickly because, “I’m not going to be able to poop for a long, long time. Jet/Cord must do this after they are U-Turned. Zev/Justin are hilarious doing this task. Disgusting, but hilarious. I love cheese, but I’ve never been a big fan of fondue and after watching it congeal and hearing Justin hurl while Zev has that indescribable expression on his face as we head to commercial-oh, my. It is too funny, but yeah, I’ll take a permanent pass. It’s nice to see Zev kicking butt on this task, though and dragging Justin along with him instead of the other way around. They do finish and I am impressed.

We don’t see much of Jet/cord eating their pot o’cheese, but kudos to them for doing it even when they know they’re headed for certain elimination.

Wheeze:

Kisha/Jen, Kent/Vixsyn, Flight Time/Big Easy, Gary/Mallory, and Jet/Cord do this task. While this is a straightforward job-bring twenty bags to five different hotels and collect the tickets to bring to the porter-there are any number of pitfalls. It’s tough to load the bags, pulling them isn’t a picnic, and getting directions to the hotels is easier said than done.

Watching the different teams’ strategy is fun. Kisha/Jen opt to take two separate trips, Gary/Mallory and Jet/Cord get maps, and Kent opts to help as little as possible.

Flight Time/Big Easy have a rough go of it. First, they get to what they think is their last hotel and learn two of their bags actually need to go to another hotel. Then when they get back to the porter, they are two tickets short. Flight Time said he thinks he lost two, so they grab two more bags and run.

Kisha/Jen finish the task first, followed by Kent/Vixsyn, Gary/Mallory, Flight Time/Big Easy, and Jet/Cord.

From the Detour, teams head to Inderbinen Brunnen, a fountain in the middle of town. There they will find the U-Turn. Zev/Justin are the first team out of the Detour, followed by Kisha/Jen, Kent/Vixsyn, Gary, Mallory, Flight Time/Big Easy, and Jet/Cord.

Double U-Turn:

Zev/Justin hit the U-Turn first and choose not to U-Turn. Kisha/Jen are next and also forego the U-Turn. Kent/Vixsyn aren’t eligible to use the U-Turn and Gary/Mallory choose not to use it. Flight Time/Big Easy U-Turn Jet/Cord, who are close behind them.

From the U-Turn, teams must take an electric taxi to Bergrestaunt-Moos, the Pit Stop for this leg of The Amazing Race.

Pit Stop:

Zev/Justin are the first to get to Bergrestaunt-Moos and they win their second consecutive leg and a trip to Curacao in the Caribbean. Kisha/Jen are second, followed by Kent/Vixsyn, Gary/Mallory, and Flight Time/Big Easy. Jet Cord are last and are eliminated.

Notes:

I’m sorry to see Jet/Cord go, though it’s not a big surprise after the Roadblock and they have been a much weaker team than in their first race. Flight Time/Big Easy are very lucky they got help with that Roadblock answer or this leg would have had a much different result.

Fun fact: There are no teams left who made it to the final three in their first race.

I’m actually a little surprised how much help was given out given how late in the race we are. I don’t know if it’s simply the personalities of these racers or if the teams wanted to get rid of Jet/Cord.

The Globetrotters were smart to use the U-Turn, but I’m amused by how nonchalant they were given how upset they were when it was used against them.

“We’ve been kind of bickering like bratty little kids.” Vixsyn speaks truth here, and her telling Kent to get in the cart so she could pull him like a child is priceless. His doing it is just sad.

Zev/Justin seem to be getting stronger at just the right time, as do Kisha/Jen. Gary/Mallory are doing fine, but Flight Time/Big Easy seem a bit sloppy and I’m not sure how Kent/Vixsyn are doing as well as they are.

The previews for next week seem to show some crankiness setting in. Can we please have a Kent/Globetrotter throwdown?

What did you think of this leg of The Amazing Race? Are you happy, sad or meh about Jet/Cord’s elimination? How do you feel about teams giving answers to other teams? Let me know in the comments.

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