Recap: The Amazing Race 2, Episode 8 (Hour 2) – “I’m Not a Miner! No, You’re An Idiot!”

Recap: The Amazing Race 2, Episode 8 (Hour 2) – I’m Not a Miner! No, You’re An Idiot!
Original Airdate: April 24, 2002

Oswald & Danny begin the 9th Leg of the Race at 8:26pm. Teams must climb to the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. But to do that, teams must sign-up at BridgeClimb Sydney and they cannot go on the bridge, one at a time, until 5:45am.

Chris & Alex depart at 9:10pm, Gary & Dave start the Leg at 9:19pm, Tara & Wil at 9:59pm and Blake & Paige at 10:06pm.

Chris & Alex decide to go for the Fast Forward. Blake & Paige, who were told by Chris & Alex that they were going for it, don’t believe them and decide to try it as well. For this Fast Forward, teams must find Harry’s Café in Woolloomooloo and eat two meat pies.

Chris & Alex easily eat the pies and can now make their way to the Pit Stop at the Aboriginal camp outside Coober Pedy. They hop on a plane to Melbourne and then Adelaide.

After signing up first, Oswald & Danny get to a hotel and check their bags so they can relax in the lobby until morning. Gary & Dave are 2nd on the list and Tara & Wil are 3rd.

Gary & Dave decide to go beg for money around town. Tara & Wil find a cheap hotel. Blake & Paige sleep by the sign-up board.

After a rainy night, teams collect themselves at the bridge. The teams head up at five-minute intervals and a man shows them a clue telling them to find the metal tree in Coober Pedy. To get there, teams must fly to Adelaide and sign-up for charters to Coober Pedy. They will then drive themselves to the metal tree.

Oswald & Danny use their taxi driver’s phone to book tickets and get a 7:10am flight to Adelaide. Gary & Dave, Tara & Wil and Blake & Paige get on an 8:10am flight.

Chris & Alex arrive at the charter flight terminal and sign-up for the 1pm flight. Oswald & Danny also get on the same flight.

The other three teams scramble to the terminal. Tara & Wil and Blake & Paige sign-up for the 2nd flight at 1:15pm and Gary & Dave are the only team on the last 1:30pm flight.

While waiting, all the teams look for more information to be ready for when they land in Coober Pedy.

While Chris & Alex make their way to the Pit Stop, Oswald & Danny head to the metal tree. The clue waiting for them reveals the Detour: Cool Down or Heat Up. In Cool Down, teams must dig for an opal in a cool mine and then have it checked by a miner to receive the next clue. In Heat Up, teams must play three holes of golf in 130 °F heat on a course that needs a map to direct teams where holes are.

Chris & Alex officially check-in as Team #1 and win a trip to Cancun. Meanwhile, Oswald & Danny and Tara & Wil decide on Cool Down. Blake & Paige choose the golf while Gary & Dave choose the mine too.

Tara & Wil catch up to Oswald & Danny as they begin sifting through the dirt. Tara & Wil think they have an opal, but when they get it checked, they get the thumbs down. Wil doesn’t think they should be doing this one. Gary & Dave arrive and also start digging as Oswald & Danny get their potential opal checked. But it’s just a rock.

Blake & Paige, meanwhile, struggle to hit their balls at the right hole. But they finally get the hang of it and get their three balls in. Oswald & Danny get another rock checked and it is actually an opal.

Teams can now make their way to Lookout 2 at Breakaways National Park.

Gary & Dave decide to switch to golfing. Wil wants to leave as well, but Tara says No. She thinks she has an opal and the miner gives them the thumbs up.

Blake & Paige arrive at the Road Block and here, teams must stand in a circle and throw a boomerang so that it returns and lands back on or inside the circle.

Paige gets started with the task as other teams arrive. Tara and Oswald get in line and the teams must now take turns one at a time inside the circle.

Paige is the first to complete the task and they can now hike to the Pit Stop at the aboriginal camp. They officially check-in as Team #2.

Tara gets it next and she and Wil check-in as Team #3. Oswald finally gets the boomerang in and he and Danny are Team #4.

That means Gary & Dave are last and eliminated. Gary begs for a second chance. But just jokes.

Episode Thoughts

This was definitely another strong Leg. It’s a great mix of modern TAR and the good ol’ days. Good tasks, good clues, good competition, fun team moments.

First, the task at the Sydney Harbour Bridge was a good filler for the morning before flying to Adelaide. And it is also one of those cool kind of tasks that you would rarely see on TV at the time.

Also, it was an easy decision to go for Fast Forward considering the overnight Hours of Operation. And it was a pretty easy Fast Forward as well.

It was interesting to see the Fast Forward team have to wait for the same charter flight as the others. That’s not something you usually see.

Great to see self-driving of course. But let me just say, I definitely remembered the big Tara and Wil moment differently. Like, this has got to be some kind of Mandela Effect because I remembered the “I’m not a miner/No you’re an idiot” line a bit differently and more forceful lol So strange. Still an iconic line, but I definitely remembered it in a different way.

The two Detour tasks were good. Especially with the heat being a factor.

The Road Block was completely rushed in the end and I think they could’ve made it a bit harder as well. They also could’ve had several circles and not just one since it essentially guaranteed the last place team was eliminated.

Overall, a good, strong Leg and a good hour to pair with the last Leg as well.

My Subjective Team Rankings

All the teams delivered this Leg. Nothing really to change my mind compared to the last hour. But really the main thing for me from this hour was Tara & Wil.

I honestly remembered that moment so differently. Like, I expected some big blow up. Arguing. Everything. But nope, it was just what we’ve seen from them the entire Race. So strange! I can’t believe it. But then again, I haven’t watched this episode in a loooong time. So I really came into this episode expecting some big moments. But nothing. Lol Oh well. Again, the exchange is still one of the most memorable lines on TAR. But, damn. Childhood ruined! lol

Episode Quotes

Tara: “Ow! I’m not gonna have babies anymore.”

Danny: “What is that?”
Miner: “A rock.”

Golfer: “You have successfully completed a hole.”

Wil: “Ask that guy to give you more instructions.”
Tara: “I’m gonna ask that guy to make you shut up in a second.”

Tara: “And you’re limp-wristed too.”
Oswald: “Shut up bitch.”