by Gina Scarpa

Bates and Anthony are the first to depart on the ninth leg of The Amazing Race, leaving Switzerland for Germany via train. All teams end up on the same train, where Bates wakes up from a nap to find that his bag has been taken. Thankfully, he learned from the mistakes of previous teams and had his passport on him (lookin' at you Zev and Justin, and James and Abba). Bates is thrilled that he won't have to run with his bag, but I bet he wouldn't mind some clean underwear!

Before teams can continue on in Dresden, Germany, they have to answer three trivia questions in their Ford Fusion before continuing. Max and Katie are the first to get them right, before anyone else even arrived at their car, and head to Brandenburg Gate. Teams get a clue that lead them to Park Inn Hotel, where both team members must base jump from the top. The race is on a mission this season to up the ante when it comes to heights-based challenges.

In this leg's Detour, teams choose between Train Trials and Font Follies. In Train Trials, teams have to go to a train museum, create a model train track, and keep a train on it for one complete loop. In Font Follies, teams carry giant letters through the streets to a letter museum. Who knew there was such a thing? Max and Katie finish Font Follies first, and head to Salon Zur Wilden Renate for a Road Block, where one team member has to search through a club, that's way more like a funhouse from hell, for a secret room. It looks like a place you would see in a nightmare and definitely not anywhere I'd want to be. Joey, on the other hand, was loving every minute of it!

Meanwhile, Anthony drops his letter on the street and cracks it, forcing his team to head back to the beginning of Font Follies to start again. Instead, they decide to switch to Train Trials instead of carrying heavy letters through the streets again.  Nine attempts later, they finally finish, and fight to stay in the race as they head for Road Block.

Teams finish in the following order:

1. Max and Katie (each win a 2013 Ford Fusion)
2. Joey and Meghan
3. Caroline and Jen
4. Bates and Anthony
5. Mona and Beth

In a footrace to the pit stop, Bates and Anthony outrun Mona and Beth but it's a non-elimination leg.  The roller derby moms live to see another day and another leg!

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

(Image courtesy of CBS)

Follow Gina @ginascarpa