THE AMAZING RACE SEASON 12 – Episode 11 Summary: · Jan 27, 03:53 PM

Ron & Christina opened up the first clue of the final leg of this season’s Amazing Race. It sent them on the last flight anyone would have to take before one team would win the million dollar prize. Their destination was Anchorage, Alaska where they were to find 6th Avenue Outfitters, a store that would prepare them for the leg ahead of them.

All three teams ended up on the same flight. After finding the store and assembling their gear, they were told to find Ship Creek Boat Launch. Ron & Christina were the first to arrive and discovered a Detour: Cut the Cod or Grab the Crab. In Cut the Cod, the teams had to cut apart 50-pound Cods in search of a clue hidden inside one of them. In Grab the Crab, the teams had to wade through 500 angry crabs in the bottom of a boat while looking for one with an Amazing Race mark on it.

Ron & Christina chose Cut the Cod. Although cutting the fish up was a little tricky they found the clue in the very first fish they selected. It told them to travel by taxi to a boat dock where they would take a quick ride up the river to 20-Mile Glacier. Unbeknownst to the teams, they would be required to scale the icy glacier to find their next clue

Nick & Don were next to arrive at the Detour thanks to TK & Rachel’s taxi driver taking them to the wrong place. Nick & Don chose Cut the Cod as well, but realized they didn’t have the proper equipment to do so since they left their equipment bag back at the store. On the taxi ride back to the store, Don gave Nick a talking-to and told him to read the clue more carefully.

TK & Rachel were the only team to chose Grab the Crab. They were pinched dozens of times before they finally decided to the pain was too much and decided to run back to cut up some fish. TK decided to turn over a few crabs just before bailing out and miraculously discovered one with the Amazing Race colors on its leg.

While Don & Nick returned to chopping up cod, Ron & Christina were enjoying a speed-boat ride through a river dotted with floating islands of ice. Once at the glacier, Ron had to tackle his fear of heights one more time by climbing the glacier. Ron did surprisingly well, while Christina struggled below. She gradually made her way to the top where she found a helicopter waiting for them. It carried them out into Alaska’s wilderness and dropped them off in a clearing. From there they had to take another taxi to Goose Lake Park where they would find their next clue.

Ron & Christina were first to the park, but TK & Rachel were gaining on them. They found the last Road Block looming in front of them. One team member had to solve a puzzle about the experiences they’d had on the race. Each person was given fifteen items from various legs of the race. They had to put ten items up on the stage while following a complex set of rules. There could only be one item from each of the ten legs. They could use only three animals or products of animals . Two objects had to be something found at or brought to the Pit Stop. One item had to be a U-turn. Two items had to be some sort of transportation – one of them had to be found at a Detour and one had to be in the shape of a stick. In essence, there were many possible combinations of objects, but only one certain combination was the correct one. If they managed to put the puzzle together properly, their clue box would open and they could move on.

Christina jumped into the puzzle for her team. When the other teams arrived, Rachel and Nick joined in. All three were well aware of the importance of this Road Block as they sorted through bicycles, stilts, chickens, guns, flowers, donkeys, tea cups, etc

Christina was the first to finish an attempt at opening the clue box and missed a correct combination with only one object out of place. Rachel had her turn as well, but had a few less in the right order. Nick had the poorest showing.

Christina figured out what was wrong with her combination, but got hung up by not counting a human as an animal. As Christina became more and more frustrated, Rachel continued on in her typical calm manner. She struggled recognizing the stick as the pole vault in Amsterdam. When she realized what it was, she quickly corrected her puzzle and watched as the clue box magically opened. She grabbed her clue and ran back to TK to solve the next puzzle inside. It told them to find “the Cook’s eye view of the Sleeping Lady.” This was in reference to a statue of the famous explorer Captain Cook. They asked their taxi driver for help and he started off in the wrong direction! While Christina & Ron finished the puzzle and hopped in a taxi, TK & Rachel’s driver realized his mistake. TK & Rachel still managed to arrive at the statue before the other teams and learned they were to run on foot to downtown Anchorage to find another statue of a salmon hooker

As they ran through the streets, they asked the locals where to
find the salmon hooker. The statue held yet another clue that told them to travel by another taxi to Girdwood Airport, the finish line for the race.

As usual, all the other teams were lining the path to the final Pit Stop. TK & Rachel jumped onto the mat and were named winners of the 12th season The Amazing Race. They both commented on how proud they were of each other and the fact that they never allowed the stresses of the race to harm their relationship.

Ron & Christina came in second place, but were pleased with their strong performance and the fact that despite many struggles and imperfections, their relationship was a stronger one too.

Nick & Don finished in third place, making Don the oldest person to go that far in the race. They expressed satisfaction in just completing the race and having a good time with each other.

Overall, it was a great season and it was great to see three great teams standing at the finish line. Until next season!

(Images are the property of CBS’ The Amazing Race)

— phil

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