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We Just Won't Die, Like Roaches

After arriving in Kiev, Ukraine, the first three teams to depart did so in relative close proximity to one another. Single moms Lyn and Karlyn were close to two hours behind, but as is common, a flight to another country managed to bunch things up once again. However, a stopover in Paris proved to their advantage, as the moms seemed to make the best use of time to plan their route to the antique shop, which was the location of their next clue.

Once landing, the two beat the other three teams to the shop and the next clue, while Tyler and James and Rob and Kimberly arrived at about the same time, and Dustin and Kandice made it there last - an order that surprised some of the people, to say the least (myself included). At the shop, each team had to pick up a charm which would perhaps bring them good luck at the next Pit Stop.

All of the teams picked up their clues and headed to the next stop - Atlas Studios, a famous backlot which has been used to film such movies as Cleopatra and Gladiator. Unfortunately for Lyn and Karlyn, their lead was short-lived, as the lot didn't open until the next morning, so once again the teams found themselves bunched up, waiting to make their next move.

In the morning when the gates opened, the moms found themselves at the back of the pack - an unfortunate position when they were faced with the first Yield of the race. The Yield allows one team to prevent another team from racing for a predetermined amount of time, while the other teams continue on. The teams of Tyler and James and Rob and Kimberly went on without using the Yield, but Dustin and Kandice decided to use it.

Personally, I am not a fan of the Yield, and especially not in a situation such as this. I had been impressed by the rise in Dustin and Kandice, and that they had been doing so well. But here, they had outrun Lyn and Karlyn to the mat, where the faster team decided to delay the slower team. You can say all you want about being competitive, but that just seems personal and petty. I'd rather see the teams race instead. It was at that point that I wished Dustin and Kandice started to lose whatever steam they had been picking up. That wish was about to come true.

After the Yield, teams found a Roadblock, where one member has to perform a task. In this Roadblock, that team member joins a charioteer (is that even a word?) to race around a track. As they cross the "finish" line, the team member has to grab a colored flag that matches the color worn by their horse. When the team member has two of their colored flags, the task is complete.

Dustin, Rob and James get into their chariots and head to the track. James is the only one who misses a flag, so he has to go around again. Though a mishap with a chariot is shown (and was shown in the previews last week), it appears that this is not so much an issue with any of the racers as something that is shown for effect. In fact, it doesn't seem like so much a race as it is a scene for a movie, so look for it in a movie near you - maybe you'll see the racers!

The next clue tells racers to head to a cafe in the town of Idelssan. On the way there, Tyler and James jump into the lead when Dustin and Kandice have problems with the directions and Rob and Kimberly have more car troubles. Meanwhile, Lyn and Karlyn pass Rob and Kimberly as well.

Once the teams arrive at the cafe, they are presented with a Detour. The options in this Detour are Throw It and Grind It. In Throw It, the team travels four miles to the town of Guedara and "throws" two properly made pots on a wheel at a local pottery shop. In Grind It, the team travels four miles back towards the town of Ouarzazate to the North Africa Horse and Olive Farm where they have to grind 77 pounds of olives and fill pressing sleeves with the paste. In both Detour options, only three work stations were available, so it is first come first serve.

At first, Tyler and James decide to throw pots. When they realize that means that they have to make pots and not actually throw them, they rethink their strategy. After deciding that they already know where the city is, and that going somewhere that they don't know might be risky, they decide to go with Grind It instead. Dustin and Kandice went with Grind It all the way, so they are already on their way there. Unfortunately, they didn't actually pay attention to the name of the place and miss the turnoff on their way there.

Tyler and James jump into action, and then Lyn and Karlyen arrive and do the same. Even Rob and Kimberly arrive and start working before Dustin and Kandice find the Horse and Olive Farm. When they do make it, all three work stations are taken, so they have to wait their turn. When Tyler and James finish up, Dustin and Kandice can begin.

Tyler and James get the next clue, which leads them to the Pit Stop - a marker by the road will indicate where to turn into the desert, so they run for it. Lyn and Karlyn are not far behind, and in fact at the Pit Stop, Tyler and James get there by a good margin. But they forget their "good luck charm" and have to go back to the car to get it. As they do, Lyn and Karlyn arrive, so then Tyler and James have to outrace Lyn and Karlyn to make it back to the mat first.

When they do, Tyler and James find that their charm matches, and because of that, they each win a Sprint Treo 700P and a year's worth of service.

• Tyler and James
• Lyn and Karlyn
• Rob and Kimberly
• Dustin and Kandice

Dustin and Kandice were the last team to arrive, but this turned out to be a non-elimination round, so in the tradition of this season, they are simply marked for elimination. That means that they have to finish first in the next segment or be faced with a thirty minute penalty. I think worst-to-first is too stiff, though I do like the change. I think a staggered penalty would be better. Make it a thirty minute penalty, and if you finish first, you don't get anything. If you finish second, you get a slightly smaller penalty, etc. Something like that - that way it isn't all or nothing.

Tyler and James are still going strong, and look like a lock for the final three. Rob and Kimberly seem like they will make it as well.

The surprise finish of Dustin and Kandice in last might mean that Lyn and Karlyn make it to the finals, unless something odd happens to one of the other teams, but you just never can tell what will happen. I would not have chosen Lyn and Karlyn to make it this far - I have in fact been saying that they will be gone for some time. We'll just have to wait and see!