The Leg
The cowboys open the first clue of the leg telling them to fly to Frankfurt, Germany where they will take a train to Hamburg. Once there, they will make their on foot to Jungfernstieg Street where they’ll find their next clue.
Jet & Cord go to a travel agent who find the first flight leaves at 11:10am. All the teams meet at the airport but take separate flights. Jet & Cord and Louie & Michael are on the first flight through Paris. Carol & Brandy and Dan & Jordan have a direct flight to Frankfurt. And finally, Joe & Heidi, Steve & Allie, Brent & Caite and Jeff & Jordan fly through Sao Paolo, Brazil.
The first flight arrives in Frankfurt at 2:35pm and the cowboys and detectives buy tickets for a 3:37pm train. The 2nd flight arrives at 3:00pm and the lesbians and brothers run to try and catch the 3:37pm train but just miss it. Brandy cries, “I’m over it.”
The last flight arrives at 3:40pm and all the teams get on the same train to Hamburg.
Darkness has fallen when the first two teams arrive in Hamburg. The cowboys get to the clue first and find the Intersection, for which two teams must mutually agree to join forces on the next task. And for the first time in Amazing Race history, two people from different teams must work together to complete a Road Block.
In this Road Block, newly joined partners will make their way to Hamburg Harbor by taking a train to the Landungsbrücken station where they will perform a 150-foot bungee in the middle of the city. After they take the leap together, they’ll get their next clue.
Jet and Michael head off for the Road Block as the next train arrives. Joe and Allie team up next followed by Dan and Brandy and leaving Jordan and Caite to work together. Joe & Heidi specifically want to work the Steve & Allie. Jordan says Dan and Brandy have a connection. Both teams find locals who help them. Jordan and Caite aren’t so lucky as they get on the wrong train putting them in last from the start.
Jet and Michael get to the bungee. The guys tell Jet to take his hat off because he might lose it, but Jet says it’ll stay on… and it does! The magic powers of the Super Cowboy! They get the next clue and must wait to get back to their teammates before opening the clue.
Joe and Allie are next. He complains about his bum knee. Dan and Brandy follow and Brandy gets a little scared when she realizes they will end up upside down when they jump. Dan is there for her though and they get through it. Caite and Jordan bring up the rear.
Back at the cluebox, Jet and Michael reunite with their teammates and open the clue telling them to find the Statue of Kaiser Wilhelm, the first emperor of Germany, where they will find their next clue. The teams are no longer intersected. The detectives find a taxi and meet a driver named Edga. The cowboys decide to take the subway instead.
The detectives quickly get to the clue and find the Detour, Soccer or Sauerkraut.
In Soccer, teams will make their way to the 100 year old Adolf-Jäger-Kampfbahn Stadium, put on warm up uniforms, and from the penalty marker, kick soccer balls through five targets in the goal. Once they hit all five, they’ll get their next clue.
In Sauerkraut. teams will make their way to 1 where they will have to eat and finish a plate of sauerkraut before a band finishes playing the sauerkraut polka. If they don’t finish before the music stops, they’ll have to start over with a new plate.
The detectives easily down the Sauerkraut and get the next clue telling them to go to Haifisch Bar. There, they will share a glass boot filled with beer. When they finish the beer, they’ll exchange it for a clue. They get to the bar. Michael doesn’t like beer, so Louie finishes the boot himself. They get their clue telling them to find Beatles-Platz, a monument honoring the Beatles. They’ll then run through the Red Light district to find the Indra Club, the Pit Stop. The detectives finally claim the first they’ve longed said they would and get a $5000 Discover Card in the process.
The cowboys, Steve & Allie and Joe & Heidi all get to the statue at the same time. All of them choose Soccer, but the cowboys have to find a taxi first. The father and daughter and Joe & Heidi get to the soccer field first and get to kicking the balls, but Joe can’t lift his leg because of his bum knee. Steve & Allie are doing pretty well though and finish fast, so Joe & Heidi decide to switch Detours.
Jeff & Jordan arrive at the statue 5th and choose sauerkraut while Brent & Caite, next, choose soccer. Jeff & Jordan take a taxi and get lost as Brent & Caite walk and have no idea where to go. They struggle to get back on track.
Steve loves beer so he and Allie finish fast, head to the Pit Stop and tipsily claim 2nd.
The cowboys fly through the Soccer Detour despite being their first time on a soccer field. Joe & Heidi likewise inhale the sauerkraut. They love sausages so the sauerkraut was easy they say.
Carol & Brandy arrive and slowly, but surely get their sauerkraut down in time. Dan & Jordan head to the soccer stadium, much to Dan’s enjoyment.
At the Haifisch Bar, Joe & Heidi and the cowboys arrive at the same time. Cord says he’s never had beer in his whole life. Jet thinks its nasty and they both have a hard time. Joe & Heidi, while having an easier go at finishing, have upset stomachs afterwards.
Jeff & Jordan get to the sauerkraut as Brent & Caite get to the soccer field. The music finishes, but Jeff & Jordan don’t so they decide to switch Detours. Caite’s been playing soccer since she was 5 years old, but she suddenly feels a pain through leg. She pushes forward and fights through the pain, hitting 3 of the 5 targets herself.
Joe & Heidi check in as Team #3.
Meanwhile, the cowboys are still working on their beer boot when Carol & Brandy arrive. Jet is very drunk as they leave and check in 4th. Carol & Brandy finish and head to the Pit Stop 5th.Dan & Jordan down their beer and also drunk happily, check in 6th.
Brent & Caite head to the bar. Caite hates beer, Brent loves it but then has to throw up so he runs outside. They eventually finish and check in 7th.
That leaves Jeff & Jordan in last place. Phil lets them think they are eliminated, but of course they’re not! This is the first non-elimination leg.
Episode Thoughts
It was another good episode. It was good to see the Intersection again, but not much drama resulted from it, which is really what all TAR twists are made for. Next week, the Blind U-Turn returns though so that could cause some good stuff.
Both Detours, again, were pretty easy. Yet there was good story there with Joe & Heidi having to switch because of his knee, Caite’s sudden pain, the cowboys, etc. Still fun to watch.
I always love when the teams have to Race at night in the dark. There are many cities around the world that take on a different look and feel at night and having the teams running around in the dark is great.
That last Route Marker at the bar was a fun excuse to get the teams drunk at the Mat and it worked! This week’s Mat Chats should be hilarious.
Next week looks exciting! Looks like a scene from the Oscar winning The Hurt Locker.
TAR8’s Civil War Detour was one of the best the show has had; hopefully next week’s tasks which all look to take place in a war zone will be awesome as well.
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Adrian
