TAR 28 Recap Leg 1, 2-12-16

Welcome to Leg 1 of The Amazing Race 28! When we join Phil, he’s hanging out in Mexico City, at the Monument of the Revolution. Wait, Phil, that’s not in the United States, so what’s up? Turns out the gimmick this season was to get eleven teams of social media stars. So that we can see how they can function offline. How droll. Well, they are waiting at home for a phone call from Phil so that they can start the race! (Toyouke: “You know they know the race is about to start. They're together and have their bags packed.”) So the eleven teams are: (click for more)

Departing from LAX

Dana and Matt, Team YouTube Dancers, @DanaALexaNY and @MattSteffanina, say they are in a high stakes relationship as they have been engaged for three and a half years and work professionally together. They also produce dance videos on YouTube and have the most popular network of dance videos online.

Tyler and Korey, Team Hot Gay YouTube Celebrities, @tyleroakley and @koreykuhl, met in college at Michigan State University, right around the time that little Tyler Oakley launched his first YouTube channel. Now a bona fide star, Tyler hosts on the red carpet, has published a book, and gets recognized like four times before he steps on the airplane. Tyler feels he and Korey have helped many kids become more comfortable with the idea of coming out and being part of the LGBTQ community.

Erin and Joslyn, Team Clevver, @HeyErinRobinson and @JoslynDavis, are internet hosts for Clevver Media, one of the largest media conglomerates on YouTube. Never heard of them. (Toyouke: “I love that these two girls are like "Clevver is the number one entertainment channel on YouTube!" and I've never heard of it.”)

Zach and Rachel, Team Vine YMC, @finalcutking and @rachelmking, have known each other for three years and married for eleven months. Zach says Rachel is the first girl he kissed. He makes magic vine videos, in which he causes distortion of reality in his six second videos.

Scott and Blair, Team Juicy Star, @ScottFowlerMD and @BlairFowler, are father and daughter. Scott is an attorney and OBGYN, and he laments that his daughter left at age 17 to follow her dreams of becoming a YouTube star. (Toyouke: “Why did Blair leave home to be on YouTube? Can't she do that in her bedroom?“) She did, and does fashion and beauty advice on YouTube. She is also single.

Departing from DFW

Brodie and Kurt, Team Ultimate Frisbee, @brodiesmith21 and @kurtegibson, were Ultimate Frisbee teammates and champions a the University of Florida. Brodie makes YouTube videos of trick Frisbee throws. And Brodie is single. Just saying.

Burnie and Ashley, Team Rooster Teeth, @burnie and @AshleyJ, are have been dating for three years. They run the YouTube Channel Rooster Teeth for video gamers. Burnie actually started the site, and Ashley became one of its first members.

Darius and Cameron, Team Vine Brothers, @MrLegenDarius and @CamerontheB, are brothers who were home schooled by their Harvard-educated mother, and produce humorous Vines. They think they will be underestimated because they look less smart than they actually are.

Marty and Hagan, Team Viral Video Family, @Flygirlmom and @haganelizabeth, area single mom and her daughter. Marty is a flight attendant for Southwest and a video of her doing her safety demonstration went viral once.

Departing from ATL

Brittany and Jessica, Team Instagram Beauty Queen, @brittoldehoff and @JessVerSteeg, are Instagram models and former beauty queens. They explain that designers send them clothes to take pictures in, and then they get paid based on their number of followers. They plan on using their looks to get by. They also have an unhealthy obsession with Cole. Brittany: “I would so visit his room if I were in college!”

Sheri and Cole, Team Vine Family, @Sherilabrant and @TheSuperCole, are mother and son from Dothan, Alabama. Cole is one of six kids, and he makes funny videos, sometimes starring the whole family on Vine. He can’t stop crying when he leaves for the race. Don’t worry Cole, I’ll comfort you. (Toyouke: “Stop crying. You haven't left yet.”) He seems a little preoccupied with the beauty queens though.

(Toyouke: “Also I am pissed at being denied everyone running to their bags and also the potential for injury that provides. “) Anyway, on the video, Phil tells teams they will be traveling for twenty-one days to eighteen cities and ten countries. He then tells them to get to their nearest airport to fly to Mexico City and find the Monument of the Revolution, where they will get their first clue. Oh, and the first team to finish will win ONE MILLION DOLLARS (US$1000000)! Then oh so sexy Phil does his standard patter: “Ready? The world is waiting for you. Good luck, travel safe. Cue Phil's eyebrow pop. GO!” Who will be eliminated . . . tonight?

Los Angeles, California, USA; Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, USA; and Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Teams head to their nearest airport.

Clue: Fly to Mexico City, Mexico! Once there, find the Monument of the Revolution to get your next clue.

So, teams make their ways to their respective airports to catch their flights

Flight LAX to MEX:

1) Dana/Matt

2) Tyler/Korey – who get accosted by Blair when they arrive.

3) Erin/Joslyn

4) Zach/Rachel

5) Scott/Blair

Flight DFW to MEX:

1) Brodie/Kurt

2) Burnie/Ashley – and Burnie seems to also get recognized immediately.

3) Darius/Cameron

4) Marty/Hagan

Flight ATL to MEX:

1) Brittany/Jessica

2) Sheri/Cole

So, teams board their respective flights. The Amazing Dark Blue, Light Blue and Red Lines take us to Benito Juarez International Airport in Rio, and somehow magically arrive at the EXACT SAME TIME so that all teams can run out of customs together and arrive in the following order:

1- Brodie/Kurt
2- Dana/Matt
3- Burnie/Ashley

4- Brittany/Jessica

5- Erin/Joslyn

6- Tyler/Korey

7- Sheri/Cole

8- Marty/Hagan

9- Darius/Cameron

10- Scott/Blair

11- Zach/Rachel

Teams are making their way to the Monument of the Revolution in their taxis. (Toyouke: “I wish Phil had just shown the monument and told them to show up without giving a name.”) Once everyone gets going, the teams find Phil and get their clues in the following order:

1- Brodie/Kurt
2- Brittany/Jessica
3- Marty/Hagan

4- Erin/Joslyn

5- Burnie/Ashley

6- Dana/Matt

7- Darius/Cameron

8- Tyler/Korey

9- Scott/Blair

10- Zach/Rachel

11- Sheri/Cole

And we get the Detour Clue.

DETOUR:

Mariachi Madness OR Great Bulls of Fire

Teams must travel by foot to the Detour location.

*Mariachi Madness: Teams travel to Plaza Garibaldi where 350 mariachi band members have assembled to play music. Teams must find one that is not playing music and take them to the Escuela de Mariachi where an instructor will verify and give teams their next clue.

*Great Bulls of Fire: Teams travel to the roof of a warehouse and assemble a paper mâché bull based on the model and fill it with fireworks. Once approved, teams light the torito on fire and get their next clue.

(Toyouke: “I love this Detour. "Find the instrumentalist who is doing nothing, in a group of 350 instruments being freaking loud."  This is NOT the craziest first leg I've seen. I can't think of anything right now but I feel pretty confident in saying that.“) There is much getting lost. And Cole accosts a local mariachi player that isn’t in Plaza Garibaldi. Once everyone gets things figured out, they arrive at their Detours.

1- Brodie/Kurt choose Mariachi Madness – Brodie: “Who’s fake playing?” And then they get one wrong.

2- Erin/Joslyn choose Mariachi Madness

3- Dana/Matt choose Mariachi Madness

4- Burnie/Ashley Great Bulls of Fire

5- Marty/Hagan choose Great Bulls of Fire

6- Tyler/Korey choose Great Bulls of Fire

7- Scott/Blair choose Great Bulls of Fire

8- Sheri/Cole choose Mariachi Madness – Cole: “Are you guys playing?”

9- Zach/Rachel choose Mariachi Madness

10- Darius/Cameron choose Great Bulls of Fire

11- Brittany/Jessica choose Great Bulls of Fire

After much musician searching and bull sculpture building, teams complete the detour in the following order:

1- Brodie/Kurt
2- Erin/Joslyn
3- Dana/Matt

4- Sheri/Cole

5- Zach/Rachel

6- Tyler/Korey

7- Marty/Hagan

8- Burnie/Ashley

9- Scott/Blair

10- Brittany/Jessica

11- Darius/Cameron

Teams get their next clue and are instructed to make their way to Cuevas de Teotihuacan at Parque Tematico Tialocan. Once there, teams will receive their next clue. Teams arrive in the following order:

1- Dana/Matt
2- Brodie/Kurt

3- Erin/Joslyn

4- Sheri/Cole

5- Zach/Rachel

6- Tyler/Korey

7- Marty/Hagan

8- Scott/Blair

9- Brittany/Jessica

10- Darius/Cameron

11- Burnie/Ashley

Teams arrive to find hours of operation, and so they pull cards for departure times. Teams get their departure times in the following order:

7:30 AM

1) Dana/Matt

2) Brodie/Kurt

3) Erin/Joslyn

4) Sheri/Cole

7:40 AM

1) Zach/Rachel

2) Tyler/Korey

3) Marty/Hagan

4) Scott/Blair

7:50 AM

1) Brittany/Jessica

2) Darius/Cameron

3) Burnie/Ashley

Night happens, and then at the prescribed time, teams are released into the park and get the first roadblock clue.

ROADBLOCK:

Who’s ready to pick up the pieces?

In this roadblock, one team member must put on spelunking gear and go into the caves and find an archeological dig site. The roadblocker must dig up pieces to an artifact, 13 of which will actually belong to the object. Once they have their pieces, they must follow the sound of drums to the artifact, piece it together, and show it to the tribal leader to get their next clue.

(Toyouke: “I see we learned from Gretchen and gave everyone hard hats.”) The following teammates take the Roadblock:

1- Kurt
2- Matt
3- Erin – who takes so long that she contemplates taking the penalty with Sheri. (Toyouke: “You're going to take the penalty because you can't build a mask.  Are you freaking serious. THE DUMBEST.“)

4- Sheri

5- Tyler

6- Zach

7- Scott - who somehow ends up outside after getting his pieces and spilling them above ground.

8- Marty

9- Darius

10- Jessica

11- Burnie

After much digging and puzzle solving, teams complete the Roadblock in the following order:

1- Dana/Matt
2- Tyler/Korey

3- Zach/Rachel

4- Darius/Cameron

5- Burnie/Ashley

6- Brodie/Kurt

7- Brittany/Jessica

8- Marty/Hagan

9- Erin/Joslyn

10- Sheri/Cole

11- Scott/Blair

Teams are now instructed to travel to the PIT STOP, the Museo Soumaya. This is the first pit stop in a racearoundtheworld. The last team to arrive MAY be eliminated!
1- Dana/Matt – who win $2000 each. Apparently, this was not awesome enough to mention on the broadcast.
2- Tyler/Korey – and Phil makes fun of Tyler’s hair.

3- Zach/Rachel – and Zach laments not being able to do magic on the race. And then takes a selfie.

4- Darius/Cameron

5- Brodie/Kurt

6- Burnie/Ashley

7- Brittany/Jessica

8- Marty/Hagan

9- Sheri/Cole

10- Erin/Joslyn

11- Scott/Blair

And Scott and Blair are. . . not eliminated! This is the first of three predetermined non-elimination legs, and there will be a Speed Bump on the next leg.

ORDER NOW:
1^st – Dana/Matt
2^nd – Tyler/Korey
3^rd – Zach/Rachel
4^th – Darius/Cameron
5^th – Brodie/Kurt
6^th – Burnie/Ashley

7^th – Brittany/Jessica

8^th – Marty/Hagan

9^th – Sheri/Cole

10^th – Erin/Joslyn

11^th – Scott/Blair

Next week: Our first visit to Colombia! I think there may be monkeys. Until next time!