The Amazing Race Canada RECAP of Episode 1

Ogopogo or butterflies. Which is scarier? You decide.

Holy crap, was that one fast moving episode or what? I had to watch it a second time just to get everything down. It was pretty crazy for me. Trying to take notes while watching it was pretty much impossible. Paper was flying and I had to keep asking my husband stuff like "What was that?" His reply was usually something like "I don't know". Great. Thanks for the help. On top of that, I was trying to live tweet one liners under the Twitter name @montysbeer. Got a couple in. Next week I think I will just try to watch and tweet, then leave the notes for a second viewing.

"THIS....is Niagara Falls, Ontario. One of the most beautiful places in the world". Oh I think a little shiver just went up my spine, Monty. Then, blah, blah, blah, Horseshoe Falls and useless facts about water volume. I agree though. It truly is one of the most beautiful places around...I've spent some of the best moments in my life there. And it really made for a great start line. Cut to the whirlpool jet boats and the team introductions. Nothing new there. Monty explains the rules, the grand prize and that the winner of the first leg will also get 2 Express Passes. These  allow the holders to skip a challenge. They must be used before the 7th leg, and the winner must give the second pass to any other team, if they choose to that is, before the third leg.

Monty yells "GO!". The first Route Marker is at the Niagara Butterfly Conservatory. Nine plexiglass containers hold TWO clues (one for each team member). The containers' inhabitants range in danger from pretty butterflies to snakes, rats and scorpions, oh my. The higher the danger, the better flight they will get on. The clue at the Route Marker outside specifically says they must both take a clue from inside the box. Apparently Holly doesn't like butterflies. Perhaps it's all that fluttering. Eeeek. She probably doesn't like bunnies, kittens or puppies either. This makes me wonder what murals she has on her Paediatrician office walls. 

Butterflies from first Route Marker. Way scarier than rats or scorpions.

Meanwhile, Jet and Dave realize they just made their first mistake by getting the envelopes from the buttterfly container..."We screwed up. Probably if we'd reached into a den of lions, we'd have got a better flight". Love these guys already. I must have blinked and missed the plexiglass container of lions. Of course, the inevitable happens - two teams, Tim & Tim, and Treena & Tennille DON'T retrieve both envelopes. This despite the twins reading that portion of the clue out loud and looking back at the container and seeing that there are two clues. Will wonders never cease?

The teams must make their way to Kelowna, British Columbia and find a "yellow bus" (aka the Interac Flash bus from the commercial) under the Blue Bear near city hall. They all meet up at Pearson and are able to introduce themselves to each other for the first time. Jet and Dave are completely star-struck over Hal and Joanne. Jet says his cousin has "been you" (Hal, or maybe he means Joanne, I'm not sure) for Halloween year after year. He also says "I would probably be...malnourished,...hippy,...closer to Darren [they show a shot of Darren], had I not had their (BodyBreak) guidance for last 25 years". I think this may be the start of a beautiful friendship. Or at least a temporary alliance. Hal seems a bit weird with Jet's gushing, and Joanne believes their fame is a target on their back.

Kristen & Darren, Hal & Joanne, Vanessa & Celina, and Holly & Brett are on the first flight to Vancouver. The rest are on the next flight, 90 minutes later. This pretty much places their standing for the rest of the race. The Route Marker at the Blue Bear directs them to the Waterfront Sports Kiosk on Lake Okanagan. Here they must take a number to get a jet ski. It's night, the Kiosk is closed, and they spend the night in houseboats. The four teams who were on the first flight make a pact that if one of them finish first and get the Express Pass, they will give the 2nd pass to the team who finishes 2nd among them. Kristen wholeheartedly agrees. I'm getting the distinct impression we need to remember this for next week. They rarely show conversations like this outside of the race. Just wondering if this pact is going to get broken.

Obviously the cute Ogopogo. Who's be afraid of this?

The next day, they get their jet skis, a rudimentary map with an "X marks the spot" and a Roadblock clue: "Who's not afraid of the deep?" The "X" is a dive platform where one team member must put on a diving helmet, be lowered by a dive cage and search for their next clue at a sunken Ogopogo statue.   Everyone that is, except for Treena & Tennille and Jamie & Pierre who don't understand the clue and just start traversing Lake Okanagan looking for Ogopogo. They even stop and ask a cottage-owner. Meanwhile, friction develops between Vanessa and Tim Jr. Vanessa panics underwater: "My air is going crazy". Yeah Vanessa, the air is crazy. Crazy air. I hate when that happens. This allows Tim Jr to slip past her and get the clue, leaving an over-acting Vanessa to contemplate giving up the challenge. Oh well. I guess that's what happens when you decide to showcase your acting abilities in the middle of a Roadblock.

This clue sends them to a second roadblock at the Bellevue Trestle in Myra Canyon. Teams must climb over the side of the trestle, down a ladder, walk out to the end of a 12 inch wide platform/beam, retrieve a clue then "jump" down to the canyon floor. They are attached to some kind of safety rigging...don't worry. Of course, when it's Joanne's turn, she sits down at the end of the beam and says.....oh you know...that line they said at the end of each episode of BodyBreak. Wait. What was it? Um. Oh yeah. "Until next time, keep fit and have fun". I knew they had to work that in there somewhere. When it's Celina's turn, there's more panic attacks. She yells down to a cheering Vanessa, "You gotta stop. I need to focus". Actually, it's more of this whiny, complaining thing. then she sits down at the end of the beam and starts to do another whiny complaining thing. This wasn't pretty. Then she jumps and does the whiny, complaining thing all the way down. E gads. Let's just say this is not may favorite team.

This clue directs them to the pit stop at Quail's Gate Winery. Meanwhile, Treena, Tennille, Jamie and Pierre are still looking for Ogopogo.

Here's how the teams finish:

First: Darren and Kristen are the first to jump on the mat at the pit stop. They win the two Express Passes and a trip for two to Sydney, Australia. Jon serves them a glass of wine. Not beer. I am only forgiving him because they are at a winery and not a brewery.
Second: Holly and Brett
Third: Hal and Joanne
Fourth: Jet and Dave
Fifth: Vanessa and Celina. Tim and Tim beat them to the mat but are penalized 30 minutes for not retrieving both clues way back at the Niagara Butterfly conservatory. The girls are ecstatic and call Tim and Tim "suckers". They seem to like that phrase. Tim Jr says "Time will tell, baby" under his breath. Hmnnn. Drama.
Sixth: Tim and Tim
Seventh: Jody and Cory

Treena, Tennille, Jamie and Pierre eventually get the last roadblock done, and it's a footrace to the finish. Treena and Tennille get there first. Just when the cowboys think they're going to be eliminated, Jon announces that the girls have a 30 minute penalty.

Eighth: Jamie and Pierre
Ninth: Treena and Tennille. They are eliminated.

Love Jon Montgomery as host.
My three favorite teams are Jet and Dave; Tim and Tim; and Jody and Cory.
My least favorite team: Do you have to ask? Vanessa and Celina. And it's not just because I'm jealous they are so pretty or some crap like that.

Next week: You're not going to believe who gets eliminated. I am hoping it will be a bit slower-paced. A preview with spoilers will come later in the week.