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Amazing Race 24 Leg 11 Bonus Clips

It seems that Dave & Connor and the Afghanimals weren’t really all that exciting to watch as there’s very few deleted scenes with them in this batch.  Although, I must admit that I’ve never noticed Leo’s eye being sorta whacked out – I hope he’s okay.  Or else I just never noticed it!  But as for Brenchel, we get the highs and lows this episode, that’s for sure.  Plus, Caroline & Jennifer’s stress cracks are finally showing, but they own it and reveal that they are ready to tackle it head-on.

Of course, the remaining 3 teams are ready for the last leg, with each of them fairly confident, although only Brenchel are supremely aggressive in their confidence.  I wager that will parallel the final leg in some way, with Brenchel going balls to the wall but making a mistake somewhere that allows the other teams to overtake them.  Guess we’ll see what happens when the teams make their way to Vegas!!!

Extra / Deleted Scenes

AR24_Ep11_stealingtheiramazingnessStealing Their Amazingness: While driving to Liverpool, Rachel explains that she & Brendon wanted to get out of the airport first so that none of the other teams could follow them.  Rachel & Brendon have been doing all their own research and everyone’s been stealing it.  She can’t believe that the Country Girls didn’t know they had to buy British Pounds.  Brendon & Rachel are both mad that Rachel accidentally helped them there.

Rachel continues that they had managed to get turn-by-turn directions for England while on the train instead of using that time as social hour and alliance time.  So now they know exactly how to drive to Liverpool and don’t want to share that info with the others.

Brendon tells us that Rachel forgets the ping-pong nature of the Amazing Race as just now, they were in the back of the plane watching everyone get off ahead of them, but through a fluke and cutting in line at immigration, they got out of the airport first.  So things can change quickly.  Rachel then predicts that the Afghanimals will get help on the way for directions but with no maps, as they don’t “use” maps.  Then the Country Girls will follow the Afghanimals.  Brendon isn’t even sure they’ll be able to drive themselves without Afghanimal help based on earlier experience.

AR24_Ep11_justdropit Just Drop It:  An exhausted Brendon is changing out of his Downton Abbey shoes reminiscing about their brutal mistake in the Detour of picking the wrong boot size.  As he gets into the car, he asks Rachel, who’s already seated inside, if she’s seen any other teams.  She sadly says no and doesn’t think it means they’re last.  Brendon wishes they could have just won another leg.  Rachel apologizes but Brendon doesn’t want her to do that; he just wants them to work better as a team. Brendon admits that he didn’t understand the clue well enough either so it’s on both of them to focus on details.  Brendon remembers that this inattention to detail killed them in their last race and Rachel says that she knows, but in a bit more of a clipped “over it” tone.  As they both reminisce yet again about what they did, Rachel just shakes her head and says “so stupid.”  They both admit that they didn’t understand what the size 9 or 11 detail really meant.  It’s all about “reading the (effing) clue.”

AR24_Ep11_gradingtheirgoalsGrading Their Goals: While driving to the Roadblock, Rachel explains that they’re happy with how well they did at Anfield Stadium with the football challenge.  Especially after how stressed they were getting there with seemingly getting lost (what happened to having amazing directions???).  They’re both aware that they’re getting stressed out especially since it’s now the final 4.  Rachel is proud of their penalty kicks and thinks if it was real, their team would have been proud.  Brendon reminds her that in reality, you only get one shot so they actually weren’t all that good as it took them a second shot to get it.  Rachel laughs as she was ready to slide-tackle the ball as it was something she used to do all the time.

AR24_Ep11_ruiningarelationshipRuining a Relationship: While driving in England, Caroline tells us that if you want to ruin a relationship, get in a car with a stick shift and drive all over Europe together while racing under a time-crunch. Caroline is glad Jennifer pointed this out as she does admit to feeling irritable towards her.   The reason that for a long time they weren’t getting on each others’ nerves was because they didn’t have to self-drive all that much.   Caroline’s relieved they’re not dating but knows that if they were, they wouldn’t respect each other as much as they do.  Jennifer sums it up and laughs that if you want to get rid of your significant other but don’t know how, well, this is the answer!  Caroline promises that this method works.  Jennifer adds that you also need to have no phone, no food, and no sleep.  Caroline maintains that they’re still doing pretty well, even though they’re both starting to drive each other crazy.  They start to laugh about their previous bickering which mainly seems focused on navigating around foreign countries.

AR24_Ep11_carolinesnewfriendCaroline’s New Friend: On the aqueduct boat, Caroline excitedly hugs her Welsh tutor and thanks her profusely, saying she’s the best.  The woman, Mel, laughs and insists that Caroline has to return.  Caroline is just so happy that she passed and owes it all to Mel, but Mel says she was a good student. She admires Caroline’s determination and predicts that whatever this trial is, Caroline will win.  Caroline wonders if Mel’s lying to her but laughs it off.  Caroline tells us that she’s relieved this challenge is done and is thrilled to have met Mel.  Mel talks to us and is happy that someone so attractive is also so persevering.  She wonders if Caroline is a student, but Caroline tells her she’s in the music industry. This intrigues Mel as she explains that Wales is all about singing.

At the Pit Stop

AR24_Ep11_socloseSo Close – Leo & Jamal/Elim:  Jamal jokes that the experience itself was worth a million dollars but admits that a million dollars stands by itself.  He does recognize that these experiences are priceless as they’re not things you could do on your own.  Leo agrees and can’t ignore how many great cultures and great cities they got to partake.  Phil gives them props for being consistent and points out this is their 22nd leg.  Jamal appreciates the sentiment but still would rather be in the Final 3 and recognizes there’s a certain oomph that’s missing.  Both he & Leo are going to appreciate and treasure the experience though.  As for the remaining teams, Leo hopes Jen & Caroline win it all and Jamal jokes that with those winnings, the girls can start their own record label.  Compared to the other 2 teams, they both think Jen & Caroline could use the win the most.

AR24_Ep11_nomoremistakesNo More Mistakes – Brendon & Rachel/3rd:  It seems Phil was playing around with Brenchel as he led them to believe everyone had checked in before them.  Rachel chides him for being so tricky while being utterly relieved they made it.  She recalls for Phil their mistake at the Detour and remembers very well how they made a similar mistake in their first season with not reading the clue.  Brendon recalls that they both messed up at the Detour because he didn’t even question her when she brought a pair of size 10 boots.  The mistake was on both of them.  They’re not broken up too much though as this leg wasn’t for the million.

When asked by Phil if they’re going to, in all seriousness, win this race, both Brendon & Rachel emphatically assure Phil they’re going to win.  Brendon pledges to be done with stupid mistakes and screwups.  He gives Dave & Connor and the Country Girls props for being good racers but insists that none of them are “us.”  Concerning alliances, Brendon laughs as he half-expects the Country Girls to think that Dave & Connor are going to keep helping them.  That’s okay with Brenchel as they’re racing their own race and will blast right by them.  They insist they’re going to win because they’ve promised their dog, but more specifically, they promised their dog a baby brother which of course only happens if they win the million.  I still ask, what happens if they don’t win?  No baby?

AR24_Ep11_becomingbelieversBecoming Believers – Caroline & Jennifer/2nd: Phil admits that he thought the Country Girls’ race was over a few legs ago, which the girls totally agree with.  But Caroline points out that they’re racing for the big mat, baby!  Jennifer is proud of how they’re kicking butt at the Detours and Roadblocks.  Phil proceeds to regale the greeter with tales of how much the girls have overcome to get here.  Caroline tells them both about how she got her skills with a shotgun, but she admits in her past that she rarely shot the gun.  So even with mostly watching, she’s a sharpshooter.  But Jennifer points out that Caroline’s dad did teach both of them how to shoot a gun.  These lessons occurred right before the race as both them and Caroline’s dad figured shooting may come up as a challenge.  Good call, Caroline’s dad.

As for winning the race, Phil asks if they think they can take it because a few legs ago, they certainly looked resigned to not winning.  Caroline & Jennifer exchange an excited high-five from just hearing Phil’s praise.  Caroline really thinks anything is possible with them and Jennifer has confidence they can win.  Even though they haven’t won a leg so far, they’re saving up for the important win (much like Jen & Kisha did!).  Caroline understands that to win, they’ll need to race their own race and try not to get frazzled.  Jennifer underscores that doing well at the Roadblocks and Detours has been key, as well as having fun.  There’s no point in getting down.

AR24_Ep11_winningthehardwayWinning the Hard Way – Dave & Connor/1st:  Phil is impressed with their perseverance today and the fact that this second season has proven so much better than their first season.  He was also impressed that they made it through what was likely the hardest intellectual challenge they’ve had all season, the Welsh poetry.  Phil tells the greeter what they had to do and then asks if Connor can remember any of it at this point.  Connor thinks for a moment and then says, nope.  Phil wonders about even the last line, the title of the episode, and Connor butchers that as well.

As for the leg, Connor tells Phil that almost the entire race they were in last place.  What turned them around was stopping and asking for directions.  Once they found the estate, they knocked out shooting the clay pigeons and found their way to the Pit Stop.  Connor knows they were lucky.

After the Race

AR24_Ep11_deservingcreditDeserving Credit: Caroline reflects that Phil had mentioned that they don’t give themselves enough credit, and she is starting to agree with that.  Caroline thinks they have what it takes and Jennifer readily agrees.  Yet they’re both super nervous about the final leg so their confidence is a little shaky.  Despite the nerves, they’re going to give that last leg everything they’ve got.

Both think they deserve to be there and they’re proud of being in the final 3 as they were 4th in their prior season.  Jennifer knows that they’re a strong team as they do get through Detours and Roadblocks before others, which proves their capabilities.  Caroline jokes that the runts of the litter are always the best fighters.

Finally, Jennifer and Caroline can both visualize running up on that Finish Line mat and winning.  It’s now within their grasp!  The plan is to go in to this last leg confident and airtight, doing everything the best that they can.  Then it will be time to kick butt.  Caroline points out that that’s it – that’s the strategy.  Everyone will gasp when they see the two blondes running in for the win.

AR24_Ep11_lightningstrikestwiceLightning Strikes Twice:  Dave considers this second chance of being on the Amazing Race as a case of lightning striking twice.  It wasn’t about redemption in this second opportunity, as they did the best they could in the first season, yet they’re grateful for this opportunity.  They’ve hit a lot of goals this season and they’re latest was to make the final 5, although when they hit that, the goal changed to making the final 3.   Connor explains that their goal was never to win legs (although they did pretty well in that regard) but it was to never be last.

Dave’s turning 60 later this year and he thinks it’s significant as it’s probably the oldest a winner of the race has been, with the next oldest being somewhere in their mid-40s.  He’s grateful to be competing with such strong teams and to still be there in the thick of it.  He recognizes that Connor has been invaluable and helped him a lot.  He really wants to be the first father/son or parent/child winning team.

Dave doesn’t want to win the race for himself;  he wants to win for Connor as he thinks it would be life-changing for him.  Connor would have a solid foundation for his future, as he could have a pot of money for a home and not have to go into debt.  He could pursue dreams and do what he wants to do.

AR24_Ep11_differentapproachA Different Approach: Rachel thinks that she & Brendon have grown a lot as a couple since their first time racing.  It has influenced their racing this time and it has been shown in the many legs they’ve won.  She attributes this growth to their realization that they’re a family now and teammates for life.  Brendon recognizes that even if they argue about small things like directions, they now know how to let things go.  He thinks that in the last race, they were so focused on being right or asserting themselves (hello, Rachel – Vanessa catfight!) and they couldn’t get past that.  They’ve learned that it’s not about who’s at fault but about what can be learned and how to improve for the next leg.

Rachel tells us that she & Brendon came on the Amazing Race 24 to win.  She reminds us that Brendon promised she could have a baby if they win.  What happens if they don’t win???  Rachel is so ready to grow their family and that’s the #1 reason why they’re back racing and in it to win it.  She’s thrilled to be able to have these adventures racing around the world before they start their family though, as who can say they went “Wellie tossing” in the middle of Wales?  They’ll both remember these experiences for the rest of their lives.

AR24_Ep11_afghanimalslookbackAfghanimals Look Back: Jamal knows that he wants to go back to a lot of places in Italy and Switzerland as he wished he could have spent more time in those places. BTW, there is something seriously wrong with Leo’s right eye.  He looks insane.  Leo tells us that he & Jamal are best friends that grew up together and have raced around the world twice together, which has made them such a strong team.  These experiences have bonded them together and they’ll be what their families talk about from here until forever.  This season had a lot of great memories, especially getting to kick a soccer ball in Anfield Stadium.  Jamal realizes that they may not have won the race but they certainly won a great set of experiences.  It has also taught them that they can overcome all sorts of obstacles even in life.  Even more, it has shown that they can achieve even more in their lives.

Links

Leg 1 RecapLeg 1 Bonus Clips
Leg 2 RecapLeg 2 Bonus Clips
Leg 3 RecapLeg 3 Bonus Clips
Leg 4 Recap
Leg 5 Recap
Leg 6 RecapLeg 6 Bonus Clips
Leg 7 Recap
Leg 8 RecapLeg 8 Bonus Clips
Leg 9 Recap
Leg 10 Recap
Leg 11 RecapLeg 11 Bonus Clips
Leg 12 Recap

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