Jaunted

THE RACE:
Drama was brewing even before the mandatory rest period was finished. The divorcees, Kelly and Christy, got the party started by accusing Starr of pushing one of their sports bras off a ledge. Starr denied anything to do with it, but the divorcees were suspicious. Smells like a frat prank to us. Or a breeze!

Teams must fly approximately 1,200 miles to La Paz, Bolivia. Situated 12,000 feet above sea level, teams must be wary of lower levels of oxygen and altitude sickness. The racers all take one of two flights. Ken and Tina admit that they really need to work on communication--and Ken not cheating. Mark and Bill plan to keep to their more analytical approach to the race.

Aja and Ty are still getting to know each other face to face after dating long distance, and mother and son, Toni and Dallas are hoping to get to know each other better. In a stunning statement of the obvious, Sarah realizes that she and Terence are not on the race to make friends, but to compete and win. Wow, congrats on finally figuring that out!

In La Paz, teams must make their way to a statue of Simon Bolivar where they must wait to receive the morning newspaper with their next clue. All the teams camp out overnight, making due with some scratchy blankets and a nice slab of concrete. The next morning, there is an astonishing amount of personal grooming going on, and Nick takes the opportunity to try to smooth things over with Kelly and Christy, but fails. It's clear they have a zero tolerance policy with Starr's name all over it.

The newspapers finally arrive, and all the teams start searching the pages. Teams with reading skills find the clue fast: It's a fabulous Hat Sale! Teams must find the Narvaez Hat Shop near the Plaza Murillo and buy a traditional Cholita Hat, which they must hold onto.

DETOUR:
Teams choose between Musical March or Bumpy Ride. In Musical March, teams must make their way on foot to two different plazas to assemble members of a small marching band. Once assembled, they must walk them to another plaza and deliver them to a waiting band leader, who will hand over the next clue.

In Bumpy Ride, teams must go to the Mercado de las Bruhas to pick a pair of locally crafted wooden bikes. Think Flintstones-style construction here, with wooden wheels, frame and rickety brakes. Teams must ride the bikes through the city to receive their next clue. Phil cautions everyone that there is a U-Turn ahead, and teams can only use this once during the race. The U-Turn made it's debut in AR-12, and is used to force a team to backtrack to complete the other Detour--giving other teams the time advantage and possibly bad race karma.

Most of the teams select Bumpy Ride. Team members must wear crazy chicken feather hats and gloves while careening through the city at breakneck speeds. Although this detail isn't explained, perhaps it's Bolivia's version of safety gear? Christy and Kelly declare Nick and Starr their arch-enemies, right before Christy's wheels start smoking and we enjoy a spectacular wipe-out on the sidewalk. We thought that heap of kindling was going to burst into flames, but no such luck.

Over at Musical March, Andrew and Dan and Marisa and Brook try to coax the band members to step it up--this is a race after all. This proves to be the Dullest. Challenge. Ever.

ROADBLOCK:
After completing the Detour, none of the teams elected to use the U-Turn. Teams must now travel eight miles to Los Titanes Del Ring. In this Roadblock, one team member must learn a choreographed wrestling routine and perform it in the ring in front of a live audience--with a female wrestler as the opponent. If team members make an error, it's back to the practice arena and then another round of competition.

Racers "get" to wear awesome nylon wrestling/superhero costumes. It's spare tires and bulges all around, but let's just say that some look better than others in spandex. This is one of the most hilarious challenges in recent memory--and we loved it!

PIT STOP:
This week, it's Mirador El Monticulo, a hilltop park overlooking the mountains. Ken and Tina make a strong first place finish and win a seven night trip for two to Cabo San Lucas. Maybe they'll actually have something to celebrate if they keep competing this well. Toni and Dallas made a huge come from behind and made it to the mat second, with the ever-cloying Terence and Sarah in third.

OUSTED:
Kelly and Christy arrive last, but are not eliminated! Mark and Bill made a mistake and took a taxi when they were supposed to walk on foot. The thirty minute penalty was enough to put them in last place, and cost them the race. Sorry guys, have fun sipping margaritas with Anita and Arthur!

NEXT WEEK:
Well, you knew it had to happen. Aja and Ty are starting to get on each others nerves. And also ours. Sometimes it's best to keep long distance relationships, well, long distance.

Also, it looks like teams have the opportunity to go Blo-Carting (Go-Karts with sails) and Starr flips over, injuring her arm. Will she be okay to compete? Do the divorcees have a Starr voodoo doll? Be sure to check back next week, race fans!

Related Stories:
· Amazing Race 13 Map [Jaunted]