by Gina Scarpa

 

When we last left the teams of The Amazing Race, they found out their leg in China was still going and Kent and Vyxsin were in trouble after losing their fanny pack. Side note: This is the only show, or situation, where wearing a fanny pack is acceptable.

 

Thankfully, their pack was turned into the lost and found and they're able to grab it and get back on their way. When they arrive at the pit stop, Phil gives them the good news that they're still racing but the bad news that they'll face a 30 minute penalty before they can check in because they took an alternate flight early in the leg.

 

Teams now travel 400 miles by train to Kungming to find the Dounan Flower Market. However, when they arrive at the airport, there's some down time so a pickup basketball game. What's better than shooting hoops with Flight Time and Big Easy?

 

At the Dounan Flower Market, they pick up a clue that sends them to the Golden Horse and Jade Cock Memorial Archways. The cowboys pull a jerk move when they steal the Globtrotters' cab in order to move ahead in the pack, leaving them in last place for now.

 

The Detour asks teams to choose between the past and the future. In Honor the Past, teams must watch a traditional Tibetan performance and then place a set of 15 dolls in the same order as the performers in the show. In Embrace the Future, teams must take a complete a solar water heating system to the top of a building and install it.

 

Both tasks are at a high level of difficulty and teams are split on which one they choose. Zev and Justin finish Honor the Past first, followed by Jen and Kisha, and Ron and Christina. Meanwhile, Margie and Luke finish Embrace the Future first.

 

A double U-Turn is looming around the corner. Margie and Luke, followed by Jet and Cord, choose not to U-Turn anyone. Kent and Vyxsin were going to choose the Globetrotters but ended up going with Jaime and Cara... as they stood right there and watched! Jaime and Cara choose the Globetrotters, causing me to throw my remote around the room in frustration.

 

Jaime and Cara head back to do Honor the Past and make quick work of the memory challenge, as do the Globetrotters. They're still in this race!

 

At Stone Forest, teams face a Road Block, where one member must put together a 20 foot replica of a dinosaur. All teams have caught up to each other and this task looks like it could take hours! Gary and Mallory, realizing how daunting things looked and being in last place, choose to use their Express Pass. If it were me, I would've waited until at least half the teams had completed the Road Block and left but what do I know?

 

The amazing part is that Gary and Mallory left the task with the Express Pass but Jet and Cord beat them to the pit stop - and they completed the task! As the winners, the cowboys receive $5,000 each! Teams finish in the following order: Gary and Mallory, Margie and Luke, Jen and Kisha, Kent and Vyxsin, Flight Time and Big Easy, Ron and Christina, Zev and Justin, and Jaime and Cara.

 

Jaime was unable to finish putting together the dinosaur and the former NFL cheerleaders are now out of the race.  Will you miss them?

 

The Amazing Race airs Sundays at 8/7c on CBS.

 

(Image courtesy of CBS)

 

Follow Gina @ginascarpa