The Amazing Race Weekly Wrap Up

The four remaining adventure racers haven’t left Moscow (n)yet! The teams bolted out of Neskuchny Sad Park to find a retired nuclear submarine where they must enter the bellows of the undersea boat to find an actor who played an officer in The Hunt for Red October.

Next the teams must head to Park Iskusstv (known to the locals as Graveyard of Fallen Monument) where they encounter a Road Block.

Road Block: Solve Clues
One team member (Dallas, Nick, Andrew and Tina did this one) must count the number of and Vladamir Lenin (6) and Joseph Stalin (2) statues. Once each Amazing Racer feels that they have correctly counted the number they must head to an antique book store and give the correct two digit number (62) using the number of Lenin and Stalin’s statues they just counted. If they give the correct number they will be given a book by famous Russian author, Mikhail Bulgakov. If they are wrong, they must wait ten minutes before they can give another answer. Using the Bulgakov book they must turn to the page number they just gave the store owner and scan the page for information that will lead them to their next destination, the apartment building of Bulgakov. It is here teams will reunite with their race partner and receive their next clue.

Along the way two of the teams screwed up. Team 1: Dan and Andrew went to the wrong park. Team 2 (well, just Dallas, I feel so bad for him) Dallas did two things wrong: 1. miscounted the Lenins and Stalins and thus waited 30 minutes because of this error (it would have been longer if it weren’t for the kindness of Tina) 2. Dallas lost his team’s passports and all their money. They will now have to panhandle the rest of the leg to ride the Metro or take a taxi. This could be fatal.

Now that the teams have rejoined they must take a TAXI to Sokol’niky Park where they must find a woman with a Shetland Pony (Starr doesn’t know what a Shetland Pony is). Since Toni and Dallas do have any money they panhandle enough to take the Metro, but are told to return to the last clue and take a taxi. This cost them big time.

Speed Bump: Traditional Dance
Dan and Andrew must do this since they came in last in the non-elimination leg. They must learn a traditional dance. Once their teacher is satisfied with their performance they are free to advance.

Detour: Ride the Rails of Ride the Lines
Ride the Rails: Teams must navigate the potentially confusing Moscow Metro. The racers will get off at a stop (didn’t get the name) where they must find a marked snack shop then they’ll receive a traditional pastry containing a clue to their next destination on the wrapper. They must get back on the Metro and get of at a Metro stop (again, didn’t get the name – if you got it post it) and find a statue dedicated to the men who created the Cyrillic Alphabet. Once there teams will find a babushka nearby where they will find their next clue, a postcard with a photo of their next clue. In order to receive their clue they must hand the babushka their delicious pastry.

Ride the Lines: Teams must travel on the Trolley (not any other system) to a park where they must find a key maker who will give them a key with their next clue on the key chain. The racers must once again get on the trolley to their next destination, a Rizhskay Train Station where they will find a series of storage lockers. They must find the locker number that matches the number on the key chain where they will find the same clue as above (postcard).

Once they find the clue on the postcard (Vdnkh Park) they will receive their final clue for the Pit Stop.

Toni and Dallas didn’t make it to the Pit Stop. Phil met them outside Rizhskay Train Station. It’s a sad day. Toni really reminds me of my mom. I really like her. Dallas is lucky to have such a great mom!

Pit Stop
Final clue takes teams to Vdnkh Park (a tribute to the achievements of the Socialist Party. This is the Pit Stop for this leg of the race. Here’s how they finished: 1. Nick & Starr (win a trip for 2 to the island of Anguilla); 2. Dan & Andrew; 3. Ken & Tina (they got to the mat earlier, but didn’t pick up their clue at Vdnkh Park, they just followed Dan and Andrew); 4. Toni & Dallas – Eliminated: I’m sad.

This is how I think the adventure racers will finish next week:
1. Nick & Starr (Will win it all next week)
2. Dan & Andrew
3. Ken & Tina

Next week’s episode is the season finale. It ends in Portland!

Tags: Hunt for Red October, Mikhail Bulgakov, Moscow Russia, Park Iskusstv, Scavenger Hunt, solve clues, Toni and Dallas eliminated, urban adventure race, Vdnkh Park