Post by bbfanatik on Dec 12, 2006 11:43:57 GMT -5
BEGINNING OF THE END
Departing the final Pit Stop in first place 11:09pm, dating couple Rob & Kimberly opened their clue directing them to Sagrada Familia, a church four miles away that has been under construction for 124 years.
Arriving at the beautifully lit church, Rob & Kimberly marveled at its magnificent architecture before getting down to the business of searching for a cluebox. After realizing they were searching in the wrong park across from the church, they changed course and ran across the street to where the cluebox stood. Opening their clue, the pair excitedly pulled out a picture of the Eiffel Tower, their next destination in Paris, France.
At the airport, Rob & Kimberly found out they had to wait until ticket counters opened at 4:00am allowing models Tyler & James and single moms Lyn & Karlyn to catch up. Once the window opened, the dating couple snagged the last remaining tickets on the earliest 6:00am flight through Charles De Gaulle Airport. Single moms Lyn & Karlyn opted for a 7:25am flight on Iberia that landed at Orly Airport that was closer to the Eiffel Tower.
Meanwhile, frustrated at being frozen out of the earlier tickets, James fumed believing they could have tried harder, setting off an argument with Tyler who sniped, "Why didn't you speak up?" When James protested that he did, a sarcastic Tyler retorted, "You spoke up so loud. Whatever dude." After their fighting subsided, the models booked an Air France flight departing at 7:05am into Charles De Gaulle Airport.
Landing in Paris, dating couple Rob & Kimberly discovered taking the train through the city would be easier because of morning traffic. While the dating couple sat on the train becoming aware that the trip might take longer than expected, Tyler & James landed and received the same information to travel by train and stood in a very long line to buy a ticket.
Meanwhile, landing in third place at Orly Airport, single moms Lyn & Karlyn took a taxi since they were closer to the Eiffel Tower. Arriving at the tower, the single moms took an elevator to the third floor where their next clue awaited. Grabbing it just as a stunned Rob & Kimberly arrived, the pair learned they had to travel 145 miles by train to the city of Caen and find the airport.
Now with a lead, Lyn & Karlyn arrived at the train station and purchased tickets on the 12:25pm train with Rob & Kimberly following suit minutes later. While the two Teams waited for their train, models Tyler & James finally reached the Eiffel Tower and caught up at the station. After learning that Lyn & Karlyn beat them, James remarked, "I think a lot of people underestimated Bama and they're getting stronger and stronger."
Pulling into Caen Station, models Tyler & James, after trailing all morning, took the early lead into a taxi headed for the airport while single moms Lyn & Karlyn trailed behind. Arriving at the airport, the models opened their clue to discover the final Roadblock of the race. In it, one team member had to perform a tandem skydive from 13,000-feet with an instructor landing on Omaha Beach, one of the landing sites for allied forces in World War II, while their partner would be treated to a surprise aerial nosedive in the plane. Once on the ground, the skydiver would be taken by jeep to the train station where they would reunite with their partner.
After Tyler suited up for the dive accompanied by a somewhat envious James, Kimberly and Karlyn elected to take the plunge for their respective Teams causing pangs of jealousy for Rob as well. Once high above the beaches of Normandy, a screaming Tyler jumped out of the plane with his instructor and enjoyed the adrenaline rush that followed. The skydive even got a response out of the normally dour Karlyn who laughed and screamed with excitement the whole way down. In the taxi heading to the station, Rob lamented, "I'm really, really jealous. That was the one thing that I wanted to do."
At the train station, models Tyler & James opened their next clue instructing them to travel 163 miles by train back to Paris and find one of the city's major squares, Place de la Concorde. The three Teams all booked tickets on the 5:23pm train with a transfer in Caen that arrived in Paris at 7:37pm. Having some time to spare, Rob & Kimberly wisely opted to exchange American money for Euros at a nearby post office. However, at 5:10pm, while the dating couple exchanged money completely unaware, an earlier train to Caen pulled into the station that Tyler & James and Lyn & Karlyn boarded putting Rob & Kimberly in last place. Returning to the station with no Teams in sight, the concerned couple queried, "Where could they have possibly gone?" Their confusion and concern was short-lived as the couple caught the other Teams at the transfer in Caen and all three headed together back to Paris.
Back in Paris, dating couple Rob & Kimberly reached the cluebox at Place de la Concorde in first place to find a Detour that had them choose between Art and Fashion. In Art, Teams had to pick up a painting from a local art gallery and take it through the streets of Paris to an artist who would hand them their next clue. In Fashion, Teams had to travel on foot to Anatomy Fashion Studio where they needed to create a jacket. Using the provided tools and materials, they needed to cut, pin and fit the jacket to a mannequin. Once the designer approved of their work she would hand them their next
Deciding to create a jacket, dating couple Rob & Kimberly reached the studio first, but the single moms soon joined them along with Tyler & James as all three Teams began cutting the pattern in hopes of pulling ahead. Apparently lacking the eye for detail, Rob & Kimberly and Lyn & Karlyn's repeated attempts for approval from the fashionista judge were met with a succinct, chilly denial every time. Lyn remarked, "The lady judge was the fashion Gestapo. All she wanted to say was, 'No.'" Maybe because of their career as models, Tyler & James completed the task correctly before the others. Opening their clue, the excited pair discovered they had to travel over 3,000 miles to their final destination, New York. Once on the ground, they needed to locate the News Building with the giant globe.
Arriving at Charles de Gaulle Airport in first place, models Tyler & James tried to book the earliest Air France flight departing at 8:25am to Kennedy Airport in New York landing at 10:15am, but no economy seats were available. After placing their names on the waiting list, the pair booked a flight on Continental landing in Newark at 11:55am.
As single moms Lyn & Karlyn made a mistake by going to Orly Airport, Rob & Kimberly entered Charles de Gaulle Airport and received the same information as Tyler & James, but pushed significantly harder by talking to a manager of Air France. This effort paid off as the couple booked tickets on the earliest 8:25am flight. A grateful Rob gushed to the manager, "You have no idea how much this means to us."
The following morning, with a million dollars at stake, Lyn & Karlyn and Tyler & James begged the Air France agents for seats on the 8:25am flight that Rob & Kimberly boarded with hopes of flying solo to the Big Apple. After much pleading and praying, models Tyler & James caught a supremely lucky break when space opened on the flight allowing them to secure tickets while a disappointed Lyn & Karlyn watched their hopes for a million dollars evaporate as no more seats became available.
Landing in New York City, Tyler & James chose their taxi driver wisely as he knew exactly where the News Building was located. Rob & Kimberly soon realized their taxi driver had only the faintest notion so they directed him to follow the models' taxi at all costs. Even through the dodge maneuvers by the models on the freeway, Rob & Kimberly continued to trail their former allies until a very fateful tollbooth sealed their fate. The models' driver had an E-Z Pass allowing them to go through the faster lane while Rob & Kimberly's driver did not, relegating them to the slower cash lane.
Now with a lead, the models opened their clue at the News Building instructing them to travel on foot two miles to the East Village and find the sculpture created in 1967 by renowned local artist Tony Rosenthal called The Alamo.
With the dating couple still trailing, Tyler & James ran through the rainy streets to the Alamo and opened their next clue directing them to the finish line 56 miles away at St. Basil's Academy in Garrison, New York.
As the nervous models convinced a taxi driver to take them into Putnam County, Rob & Kimberly arrived at The Alamo only minutes behind. Enlisting a taxi driver of their own, Rob implored, "This is worth a million bucks." As the models neared Garrison, their driver called to locate the address of St. Basil's Academy while Rob & Kimberly remained in pursuit trying to gain any ground.
When a yellow taxi pulled into St. Basil's Academy, the eliminated Teams that gathered at the finish line began to cheer wildly. The cheer grew when models Tyler & James ran around the corner towards the one million dollars that waited mere yards away where Phil stood waiting.
After Phil crowned Tyler & James the official winners of The Amazing Race, the models shared their joyous moment with their families courtesy of Sprint by calling their parents to inform them of the news. A tearful Tyler told his mother he loved her after sharing the news prompting her to exclaim, "It's a miracle!"
While a little disappointed, dating couple Rob & Kimberly crossed the finish line in second place amid cheers from the other Teams. Kimberly remarked, "This is one of the hardest things I've ever done and I'm proud of the fact that we made it this far. Most relationships don't get put through this." Rob added, "We had our ups and downs, but we have a great relationship it turns out. I really am in love with this woman."
After claiming third place, Karlyn summed up here experience, saying, "I have just been around the world and I've learned that I can do whatever I set my mind to and it's just been the best blessing. It's just like a butterfly coming out of a cocoon. That's the thing I want to give my daughter from this experience." A tearful Lyn added, "To finish the actual race and then to make history and be the first female Team that means a lot."
To sum up the feelings of his winning Team, Tyler reflected, "James and I just went through so many countries and it just seems like a blur, a time warp. But we went through all those things and we actually finished at the top. Ever since I've been sober, that's how I feel like my life has been is, it feels too good to be true, like when am I going to wake up? We won the game of life. Now we won The Amazing Race too."
Departing the final Pit Stop in first place 11:09pm, dating couple Rob & Kimberly opened their clue directing them to Sagrada Familia, a church four miles away that has been under construction for 124 years.
Arriving at the beautifully lit church, Rob & Kimberly marveled at its magnificent architecture before getting down to the business of searching for a cluebox. After realizing they were searching in the wrong park across from the church, they changed course and ran across the street to where the cluebox stood. Opening their clue, the pair excitedly pulled out a picture of the Eiffel Tower, their next destination in Paris, France.
At the airport, Rob & Kimberly found out they had to wait until ticket counters opened at 4:00am allowing models Tyler & James and single moms Lyn & Karlyn to catch up. Once the window opened, the dating couple snagged the last remaining tickets on the earliest 6:00am flight through Charles De Gaulle Airport. Single moms Lyn & Karlyn opted for a 7:25am flight on Iberia that landed at Orly Airport that was closer to the Eiffel Tower.
Meanwhile, frustrated at being frozen out of the earlier tickets, James fumed believing they could have tried harder, setting off an argument with Tyler who sniped, "Why didn't you speak up?" When James protested that he did, a sarcastic Tyler retorted, "You spoke up so loud. Whatever dude." After their fighting subsided, the models booked an Air France flight departing at 7:05am into Charles De Gaulle Airport.
Landing in Paris, dating couple Rob & Kimberly discovered taking the train through the city would be easier because of morning traffic. While the dating couple sat on the train becoming aware that the trip might take longer than expected, Tyler & James landed and received the same information to travel by train and stood in a very long line to buy a ticket.
Meanwhile, landing in third place at Orly Airport, single moms Lyn & Karlyn took a taxi since they were closer to the Eiffel Tower. Arriving at the tower, the single moms took an elevator to the third floor where their next clue awaited. Grabbing it just as a stunned Rob & Kimberly arrived, the pair learned they had to travel 145 miles by train to the city of Caen and find the airport.
Now with a lead, Lyn & Karlyn arrived at the train station and purchased tickets on the 12:25pm train with Rob & Kimberly following suit minutes later. While the two Teams waited for their train, models Tyler & James finally reached the Eiffel Tower and caught up at the station. After learning that Lyn & Karlyn beat them, James remarked, "I think a lot of people underestimated Bama and they're getting stronger and stronger."
Pulling into Caen Station, models Tyler & James, after trailing all morning, took the early lead into a taxi headed for the airport while single moms Lyn & Karlyn trailed behind. Arriving at the airport, the models opened their clue to discover the final Roadblock of the race. In it, one team member had to perform a tandem skydive from 13,000-feet with an instructor landing on Omaha Beach, one of the landing sites for allied forces in World War II, while their partner would be treated to a surprise aerial nosedive in the plane. Once on the ground, the skydiver would be taken by jeep to the train station where they would reunite with their partner.
After Tyler suited up for the dive accompanied by a somewhat envious James, Kimberly and Karlyn elected to take the plunge for their respective Teams causing pangs of jealousy for Rob as well. Once high above the beaches of Normandy, a screaming Tyler jumped out of the plane with his instructor and enjoyed the adrenaline rush that followed. The skydive even got a response out of the normally dour Karlyn who laughed and screamed with excitement the whole way down. In the taxi heading to the station, Rob lamented, "I'm really, really jealous. That was the one thing that I wanted to do."
At the train station, models Tyler & James opened their next clue instructing them to travel 163 miles by train back to Paris and find one of the city's major squares, Place de la Concorde. The three Teams all booked tickets on the 5:23pm train with a transfer in Caen that arrived in Paris at 7:37pm. Having some time to spare, Rob & Kimberly wisely opted to exchange American money for Euros at a nearby post office. However, at 5:10pm, while the dating couple exchanged money completely unaware, an earlier train to Caen pulled into the station that Tyler & James and Lyn & Karlyn boarded putting Rob & Kimberly in last place. Returning to the station with no Teams in sight, the concerned couple queried, "Where could they have possibly gone?" Their confusion and concern was short-lived as the couple caught the other Teams at the transfer in Caen and all three headed together back to Paris.
Back in Paris, dating couple Rob & Kimberly reached the cluebox at Place de la Concorde in first place to find a Detour that had them choose between Art and Fashion. In Art, Teams had to pick up a painting from a local art gallery and take it through the streets of Paris to an artist who would hand them their next clue. In Fashion, Teams had to travel on foot to Anatomy Fashion Studio where they needed to create a jacket. Using the provided tools and materials, they needed to cut, pin and fit the jacket to a mannequin. Once the designer approved of their work she would hand them their next
Deciding to create a jacket, dating couple Rob & Kimberly reached the studio first, but the single moms soon joined them along with Tyler & James as all three Teams began cutting the pattern in hopes of pulling ahead. Apparently lacking the eye for detail, Rob & Kimberly and Lyn & Karlyn's repeated attempts for approval from the fashionista judge were met with a succinct, chilly denial every time. Lyn remarked, "The lady judge was the fashion Gestapo. All she wanted to say was, 'No.'" Maybe because of their career as models, Tyler & James completed the task correctly before the others. Opening their clue, the excited pair discovered they had to travel over 3,000 miles to their final destination, New York. Once on the ground, they needed to locate the News Building with the giant globe.
Arriving at Charles de Gaulle Airport in first place, models Tyler & James tried to book the earliest Air France flight departing at 8:25am to Kennedy Airport in New York landing at 10:15am, but no economy seats were available. After placing their names on the waiting list, the pair booked a flight on Continental landing in Newark at 11:55am.
As single moms Lyn & Karlyn made a mistake by going to Orly Airport, Rob & Kimberly entered Charles de Gaulle Airport and received the same information as Tyler & James, but pushed significantly harder by talking to a manager of Air France. This effort paid off as the couple booked tickets on the earliest 8:25am flight. A grateful Rob gushed to the manager, "You have no idea how much this means to us."
The following morning, with a million dollars at stake, Lyn & Karlyn and Tyler & James begged the Air France agents for seats on the 8:25am flight that Rob & Kimberly boarded with hopes of flying solo to the Big Apple. After much pleading and praying, models Tyler & James caught a supremely lucky break when space opened on the flight allowing them to secure tickets while a disappointed Lyn & Karlyn watched their hopes for a million dollars evaporate as no more seats became available.
Landing in New York City, Tyler & James chose their taxi driver wisely as he knew exactly where the News Building was located. Rob & Kimberly soon realized their taxi driver had only the faintest notion so they directed him to follow the models' taxi at all costs. Even through the dodge maneuvers by the models on the freeway, Rob & Kimberly continued to trail their former allies until a very fateful tollbooth sealed their fate. The models' driver had an E-Z Pass allowing them to go through the faster lane while Rob & Kimberly's driver did not, relegating them to the slower cash lane.
Now with a lead, the models opened their clue at the News Building instructing them to travel on foot two miles to the East Village and find the sculpture created in 1967 by renowned local artist Tony Rosenthal called The Alamo.
With the dating couple still trailing, Tyler & James ran through the rainy streets to the Alamo and opened their next clue directing them to the finish line 56 miles away at St. Basil's Academy in Garrison, New York.
As the nervous models convinced a taxi driver to take them into Putnam County, Rob & Kimberly arrived at The Alamo only minutes behind. Enlisting a taxi driver of their own, Rob implored, "This is worth a million bucks." As the models neared Garrison, their driver called to locate the address of St. Basil's Academy while Rob & Kimberly remained in pursuit trying to gain any ground.
When a yellow taxi pulled into St. Basil's Academy, the eliminated Teams that gathered at the finish line began to cheer wildly. The cheer grew when models Tyler & James ran around the corner towards the one million dollars that waited mere yards away where Phil stood waiting.
After Phil crowned Tyler & James the official winners of The Amazing Race, the models shared their joyous moment with their families courtesy of Sprint by calling their parents to inform them of the news. A tearful Tyler told his mother he loved her after sharing the news prompting her to exclaim, "It's a miracle!"
While a little disappointed, dating couple Rob & Kimberly crossed the finish line in second place amid cheers from the other Teams. Kimberly remarked, "This is one of the hardest things I've ever done and I'm proud of the fact that we made it this far. Most relationships don't get put through this." Rob added, "We had our ups and downs, but we have a great relationship it turns out. I really am in love with this woman."
After claiming third place, Karlyn summed up here experience, saying, "I have just been around the world and I've learned that I can do whatever I set my mind to and it's just been the best blessing. It's just like a butterfly coming out of a cocoon. That's the thing I want to give my daughter from this experience." A tearful Lyn added, "To finish the actual race and then to make history and be the first female Team that means a lot."
To sum up the feelings of his winning Team, Tyler reflected, "James and I just went through so many countries and it just seems like a blur, a time warp. But we went through all those things and we actually finished at the top. Ever since I've been sober, that's how I feel like my life has been is, it feels too good to be true, like when am I going to wake up? We won the game of life. Now we won The Amazing Race too."