The Amazing Race Season 14 Begins

And so it begins…

Teams once again start in Southern California at the Los Alamitos Army Airfield in the race around the world in hopes to capture the one million dollar prize.

The first clue takes the 11 teams to Switzerland! Teams jumped into Mercedes Benzes and headed to Los Angeles International Airport to catch one of two flights to Milan or Zurich. (This season there will be less drama at the airports.) Both flights will take teams to the European cities where the must then catch a train to Locarno, Switzerland.

No major problems happened on the flights, but when Preston and Jennifer landed and arrived at the station they missed their train and lost valuable time. Will this be the end?

While on the train, Christie and Jodi befriended a local that showed them a shortcut. They switched trains and were first to arrive at the Church of San Antonio in Lacarno. They will be departing at 7:15 the next morning, along with Mark and Michael, Tammy and Victor and Margie and Luke. Leaving at 7:30 a.m. is Brad and Victoria, Cara and Jaime and Mel and Mike. This means that Kisha and Jen, Amanda and Kris, Linda and Steve and Preston and Jennifer will leave at 7:45. Teams receive their next clue when they depart in the morning. Teams received a picture clue.

At the mandatory rest period, Steve was being a jerk to his wife Linda.  He made her cry. Booooo!

Picture Clue
Teams must find the Verzasca Damn then one team must perform a 70 story bungee jump off the damn. (The first team has a definite advantage as teams that follow get scarred and waste precious minutes. This is a challenge I would love to, but would scare the bejesus out of me!)

Wheels of Cheese
Once completing their death defying jump teams must race by train to the town of Interlaken and find Kliene Rugen Wiese where they must carry 200 pounds of cheese down a slope that appears to be covered in Crisco (it was that slippery) using a traditional cheese carrying harness. Each wheel of cheese weighs 50 pounds.  The harnesses looked like they were made in China; all 22 harnesses broke! That’s crap! I was impressed with Steve’s ingenuity when he turn the harness into a sled. Not bad for a self proclaimed country bumpkin!

Pit Stop
Final clue takes teams to Stechleberg, where they must find the group of yodelers. This “sounds” easy (sorry), but the yodels create an insane echo off the surrounding mountains.

This was one of the closest finishes and most exciting in TAR history. Christie and Jodie literally beat Preston and Jennifer by 1.5 SECONDS!!! Preston actually carried Jennifer on his back in hopes to out run the flight attendants, but to no avail.

Here’s how they finished: 1. Margaret & Luke (Prueto Varrta trip); 2. Tammy & Victor; 3. Mark & Michael; 4. Mel & Mike; 5. Amanda & Kris; 6. Brad & Victoria; 7. Jaime & Cara; 8. Kisha & Jen; 9. Steve & Linda; 10. Christie & Jodi; 11. Preston & Jennifer - Eliminated

This is how I think the adventure racers will finish next week:
1. Amanda & Kris
2. Margaret & Luke
3. Tammy & Victor*
4. Kisha & Jen
5. Mark & Michael
6. Christie & Jodi
7. Mel & Mike
8. Jaime & Cara
9. Brad & Victoria
10. Steve & Linda  - Eliminated

For a sneak peak to next week’s episode of The Amazing Race go to CBS.

*My pick to win this season’s The Amazing Race.

Tags: bungee jump, CBS, Margaret & Luke, race around the world, Switzerland, The Amazing Race