So, on the Amazing Race, we’re down to four teams, all vying for the final three spots. Someone does lose this time around. Happily, for Blog Babes, we are winners!

But first, a little race MAC…

The Beauty Queens take off in last place and, unless they come in first this leg, they have a 30 minute penalty hanging over their heads when they reach the Amazing Bathmat. They also have the other three teams all vying to get them out first, as they are seen as the strongest racers (which they have been, despite being in last.)

The teams all head to Casablanca, where they encounter their Roadblock for this leg of the race. They have to find a meat market, which happens to be filled with dead camel heads. I know, this is where I hope you’re not eating breakfast. I know I’m not. Maybe ever. As it turns out, for a food eating challenge, other than it’s a full pound of meat that has to be eaten, the meat itself isn’t all that bad apparently. (Camel, the other red meat.)

The Moddicts get to the market first and after the way he slammed through teeth and hair last time, James is totally doing this roadblock. Which he makes look about as challenging as pounding down a few Big Macs. Or Big Humps. Whatever. The BQ’s somehow manage to smoke past both Romberly and the *lyns, and Kandice chows down as well.

Kimberly and Lyn are the eaters for their respective teams, only Karlyn isn’t respective of anything, especially her partner, who, after Karlyn’s continual nagging about how she should be eating her camel meat, basically tells her to STFU, and when Karlyn can’t take a hint in the form of a neon sign across Lyn’s forehead, continues to have to tell her, oh, every other five minutes. I think I’d have had to use my shish kabob skewers in an effective, partner silencing manner. Shut up, Karlyn. GROW up, while you’re at it. How childish and hateful was she? Great role model for your kids. Who are probably already taking merciless abuse at school over your actions as it is. If nothing else causes you to take a good hard look, I hope that does. Poor Karlyn’s kids.

So Lyn finishes up and heads out, followed by Kimberly not too far after her.

The teams now head to Barcelona, Spain, where they have their Detour. This one is emotionally and physically bruising for our very tired teams. They have to either walk a mile through town, in blistering heat, balancing what looks like two story doll costumes…or dig through a pile of tomatoes while being seriously pelted with the same tomatoes by locals who are waaaay getting into this challenge. Perhaps too much.

BQ’s and Moddicts take the towering doll costumes, while Romberly and the *lyns opt for tomato brawling. And brawl it is. Kimberly more or less panics, and just can’t really handle being that tired, that frustrated, doing a needle-in-a-haystack task, while simultaneously being hit - and hard, mind you - with cold, nasty tomatoes. The locals jeering and cat calling while smacking her upside the head and body didn’t help. She implores Rob to please abandon this task and go do the other one, but he is panicking in his own way. With no other teams there yet, he has no idea where they are in the race and feels if they leave now, they are dooming themselves. With both of them panicking, especially Kimberly, who I think truly just kind of hits her personal wall, it’s not a pretty sight. She finally walks off (several times in fact) until Rob has to follow her. He is a total insensitive ass, but I don’t think he really is tuned in to the real meltdown she’s suffering at the moment. He’s totally race focused. In the end, he talks her into going back and they do find the clue to the pitstop.

The *lyns aren’t happy with each other at the moment, as Lyn has finally (finally!!!) had enough of her sourpuss, pain in the ass partner (who we were fed up with, oh, back on the first episode) and tells her so. Rather than get the fact that she’s finally Gone Too Far, Karlyn just degenerates further into her own world of complete self entitlement. Which makes her getting hit with tomatoes quite rewarding. More footage of that please, Race Editors! Lyn, on the other hand, really doesn’t need this crap. From either side. But they do find the clue, and finally Karlyn owns up to the fact that maybe, just maybe, she could have lightened up a bit. For me, (and I suspect Lyn feels this way, too) there is no apology big enough for the ‘tude she’s been sporting the whole time. Lyn does interview that she’s aware of her partner’s (massive) emotional shortcomings, but she’s trying to run the damn race here, too and it would be nice if her partner could get her head out of her behind and see that and get over herself. Good luck with that, Lyn.

Meanwhile, the Moddicts and BQ’s are sweating it out, literally, under their giant doll frames (which? I loved. Amusing, yet freakish, all at the same time. Like mutant undead Ukranian nesting dolls.) They get lost a few times, stop for directions a few times, but in the end, it’s the Moddicts who get the right path first and their clue to the pitstop.

We finally get so see Phil (Hi Phil!!) and his lovely Amazing Bathmat Companion at the Pit Stop. Romberly makes it to the mat first. It is here, realizing they are in the final three, and in the current lead, that Rob falls apart a little. On their way to the pitstop, they both apologize to each other for losing it during the challenge, and show a great deal of self awareness of how much this is the race, and, also, how much this is who they are. And I think they are really trying. As bickering couples go from seasons past, I am irritated a lot less by these two than by most of their predecessors. They can be trying, but I do think they truly love and respect one another and want to be better to each other. Something I can’t say I’ve seen in past bickering couples.

Rob cries on the mat, realizing how close they are to winning this, and what it would mean to their lives. They talk about how, with the other remaining teams being all friends and not couples, they’d all just split the pot and go on, but with Rob and Kim, it would help them start their lives together. And I understand their point, though I think the *lyns, especially, might disagree on the fact that it would help Romberly more than the other teams. Team single moms? Yeah, they need the money more, Kim. Sorry. But I get what she was trying to say, so I’ll go easy on her. Besides, I’d like to just give Lyn all the money, and Karlyn’s kids. Just not Karlyn.

The Lyns hit the mat second (makes you wonder how they’d have done if they’d abandoned the Cho Alliance earlier on) and are thrilled to be the first female team ever in the final three, and therefore, getting the chance to complete the entire race. And I really wish I liked Karlyn more, because I wasn’t as happy about this as I wanted to be.

The Moddicts are next, and the last team to make the finale. They are relieved, both that they get to complete the race and compete for the million…and that the BQ’s are not going to be competing against them on the last leg. (They do need to be a little more nervous about the *lyns than they seem to be, although I do get why they’d want to race them vs. the beauty queens, if given the choice.)

The BQ’s hit the mat last and they know they are done. I am glad they didn’t lose on the time penalty, because we’d have never heard the end of how they would have made it if not for THAT. Instead, they were last two times in a row, through no fault but their own. I think they were very, very good racers. But their smug entitlement as the race wore on, really wore me down. A shame, because there is a whole lot to admire about this team.

So…only one week left! Sniff! Sob! Then no more Phil until spring! What will we do?

Who will win?!?!

To be honest, it’s a tough one for me. The *lyns probably need the money most. (Though Karlyn with money will be even more insufferable than Karlyn with no money.) Romberly did tug on my cold, cold heart a wee, tiny bit this leg with their attempts at relationship improvement…while admittedly exposing their need to keep working on it. And then there are the Moddicts, who can be somewhat bland, but have also been good racers, good teammates, enjoyed themselves immensely, and basically been pretty decent guys the whole way through. In terms of racing for racing’s sake, and not about who needs the winnings, I’d have to pick these guys for the win. But a strong case could be made for any of the final three. Or none of them.

But enough about these guys! Let’s talk winners! This week’s SHaQ Attack was about being a winner by choosing losers. More precisely, picking who would be sent packing on Survivor and Amazing Race this week. Most of you got at least one right, and a few of you got both! On Survivor, whiny Candice went home, and, as we saw above, on Amazing Race, it was the Blondes, Dustin and Kandice. (Rough week for reality contestants named C/Kandice.) But a great week for Blog Babe’s named Jennifer. Particularly, Jennifer Y! (Who happened to get both picks right!) Woo hoo, Jennifer! You win a book of your choice from my website bookshelf.

Tune in tomorrow for this week’s SHaQ Attack contest!

Tags: Writing //