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On the way to the task portion of the Roadblock, a test driver drives Ernie through other portions of the track. Even Jim Carrey would be telling Ernie to not mug so much for the camera during this test drive.

The snowboarders hit the mat and get the clue. They are quite stoked to still be in it. Equally stoked are Bill & Cathi, who just offered their race eulogy during the cab ride to the Pitstop. They assumed they were eliminated but we know the truth. As Cathi says, “Hot diggity.”

Ernie completes the 100 mph/braking portion of the Roadblock on the first try but is too slow on the slalom portion. There is no real pressure yet as he’s only one there at this point. Amani & Marcus have squandered their lead and lost their momentum. Lost and clueless, they ask another person for directions and think they are now heading to the right spot.

It’s time for the Ernie slalom blooper reel. He estimates that he had to do the slalom 15 times. This brings joy to my heart. Meanwhile, Jeremy is suited up as the second team to take on the Roadblock. He completes the first part easily as well but now it becomes a waiting game as the teams must take turns on the slalom portion. That unnerves Ernie some and makes me smile some.

My smile disappears when practice x 15 pays off for Ernie on the slalom and he is the first one to complete the Roadblock. But Jeremy only needed one practice on the slalom. They are neck-and-neck on their way to the next clue in Gent, Belgium.

Speaking of neck-and-neck, Marcus and Tommy are suiting up simultaneously for their teams. Andy is extremely bummed that it was Tommy’s turn for the Roadblock and he is disappointed in himself that the jealousy was so strong. Amani didn’t exactly seem to be clamoring for the adrenaline rush.

Like the two before them, both Marcus and Tommy have no issue with the first task but both need another turn on the slalom. With Bill starting the Roadblock as they are rejoining their team mates, the race is quite close. Unfortunately, the three teams bunched at the back are all the ones I want to stay in the race.

I am really getting tired of writing this but Ernie & Cindy are the first team at the next clue. It’s a Belgian-rrific Detour. The options are Water or Waffles. For Water, they have to use materials (barrels, sticks and rope) to build a raft and then paddle down a waterway looking for two halves of the next clue. For Waffles, they have to build a waffle stand and then bake and decorate 18 waffles to the chef’s approval.

Waffles are on the menu for Ernie & Cindy and they are joined shortly by Jeremy & Sandy. A tinge of self-awareness creeps in for Ernie as they are looking at the decorated finished waffles in the example. He says, “I really feel like I could do this quite effectively but you never really can tell until you get in the booth with Cindy.” Now multiply that 20-fold and you have enough justification to know you need to run away…like now.

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