Nuts About Southwest

As an avid Amazing Race viewer and fan, I knew that a non-eliminating leg was likely to come soon--I'm so glad it came when our Southwest Flight Attendants needed it most!  At the beginning of this week's episode, writer/director/actor, Mike, waxed prophetic when he referenced the Book of Matthew's "the first shall be last; and the last shall be first" passage. Jodi and Christie (J/C) were the first to start, but the last to finish after a series of unreliable directions from locals and a playing field-leveling trasportation situation. 

The order of departure made no difference this time as there was only one Trans Siberian Railway trip per day to the first destination.  Teams traveled together, and a mad dash from the train car put J/C slightly behind.  Their decision to deliver a blushing Russian bride to her groom at a church some distance away proved to be trickier than they originally thought while teams who chose to plow snow finished with greater ease and speed.  All of the racers struggled a bit with directions (some more than others) as teams drove themselves around the northern Russia city, and sadly, J/C found themselves on the loosing end of the spectrum.  Sisters, Lakisha and Jennifer, who chose the wedding task as well, were right along with J/C until the final "Roadblock." (The Roadblock required a member of each team to run 1 1/4 mile in snow and ice to the Pit Stop.)   Jennifer crossed the finish line in her boy shorts before Christie in her thong giving a whole new meaning to the term "cool runnings."  (Seriously, what were producers thinking? Christie could have contracted a serious case of buttock hypotherma out there!)

Luckily, J/C heard the words "you'll be the last to depart on the next leg" instead of "you have been eliminated from the race" from host, Phil Keoghan.  They'll have to perform a "Speed Bump" challenge that's not required of any other team next week, but keep hope alive! Other teams before them have overcome such a fate, and J/C have what it takes to do so as well--a strong Warrior Spirit!