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Tyler tells us that he's a little concerned at how easy the alliance was willing to flip, although he was really the one who flips. Anyway, he tells us that he voted for Dan and he plans to do it again at the next Tribal.

When we return from the credits, it's the morning of Day 30 and apparently, Mike isn't even sleeping with the rest of the tribe anymore. The rest are around the fire and Will comes over to wish Rodney a happy birthday. Aww, it's the big guy's birthday! He tells us that he's just hoping to finally win a reward for his birthday. He's been stuck on the same beach for 30 days without 1 break at all. After reading Tree Mail, they learn that today's reward will nourish the soul and the body. Rodney tells us that he's so tight with Will and Mama C that even if he doesn't win today, there's a 0.0000% chance that he won't get a reward on his birthday. This is hilarious. We all know what his means, right? Rodney ain't winning and he ain't getting a reward. #obvious

Probst sighting!! Today's challenge is a team challenge and will break the tribe into 2 teams of 3. They'll have to unspool ribbons, get a key, and use that key to release a bag of balls. Carry the balls through a new bridge/swing thing and then use those balls on a cool jumpy catapult thing to land the 5 balls in 5 different nets. Team that does this first wins reward. This week's reward is the 1 reward I would do whatever it took to win. The winners will take a truck full of school supplies, sports equipment, bikes and toys to a local orphanage. They'll they dine on an awesome barbeque. Now, there are 7 people and this is for 2 teams of 3. So they'll school yard pick and the last person will have no shot at reward. Bummer.

After the pick, the teams are Mike, Carolyn and Sierra against Rodney, Dan and Tyler. Will, not chosen by either team and will have no shot at reward. They start off and Mike's team has the plan for the ribbons. The other team is getting tangled up a bit. Mike gets the key first and they head out to build the ladder that will get them up to the bag of balls they need to unlock. Again, Mike's team blows through this and gets their balls first. The blue team misses a rung of the ladder which slows them down ever more. As the red team gets through the net swing, blue is having trouble with it. Mike gets through for red and he can start launching the balls. Blue gets through as well, but Rodney left the balls behind and has to go back to get them and go through the net swing all over again. Meanwhile, Mike is launching balls and learning how the catapult works. He finally scores the first ball for Red. Dan scores a point on his first 2 shots and blue has completely come back and taken the lead. Dan hits 2 more and is leading 4-2. Carolyn and Sierra are practically begging to take a shot at this. Mike will not leave the catapult and scores #3. Dan misses for the win and Mike ties it up. Dan misses for the win again. Mike...doesn't. And Mike, Carolyn and Sierra win reward. Can I just say, on a challenge like this where you have to get a feel for the equipment, switching out from Mike to one of the girls would have been a killer. I'm sure it was frustrating for them but there's a learning curve for something like this and when the other team is down to 1 ball that is NOT the time to work on that curve. So, kudos to Mike for sticking it out and bringing home the victory.

Now's the time for Rodney to get the reward for his birthday, right? Jeff mentions that Rodney is still shut out on rewards and he talks about it being his birthday. Of course, Jeff asks him if he's hoping one of the other 3 will swap out and let him have the reward. He says that he's not gonna pressure anyone for that, but it is an amazing reward and his birthday. With all due respect, so what? Maybe I'm a cold hearted bastard, but this is a dude I've known for less than a month...why in the blue hell would I give up a once in a lifetime opportunity (and the chance at a big meal to help me in a million dollar game) for someone I just met? Mike tells Rodney that he knows he's hurting, but he needs to get some food in him as well. And why in the hell would Mike even think about switching with the dude who's been plotting to take him out? And I'm sure there's no chance Sierra would give Rodney the reward. Carolyn also says that this is a once in a lifetime experience and she has to go on the reward. Sierra mentions that if the reward was individual, she's sure everyone would have chosen Rodney to go with them. But this was a team reward and she never actually promised him anything about switching out with him. As we head to break, Rodney is SO pissed that this group of strangers doesn't really care about his birthday and now he's gonna do something and something. Sorry, I lost interest.

We come back from break to the people NOT crying about their birthday. They arrive at the orphanage and are swamped by kids clamoring for pens, paper, soccer balls, bikes, books and all the supplies. As I say every time I recap one of these rewards...this is the kind of experience that even a million bucks can't buy. Sierra talks to some of the girls about being a cowgirl, Mike plays soccer with the boys and Carolyn plays games with the children as well. And then it's time to eat. Carolyn tells them that the day was worth all the shit she's gonna get when she gets back to camp. Mike tells them that there is no one at camp he'd rather have shared this reward with and Carolyn is starting to see Mike in a different light. She tells us that he has a lot of power in the game and with his idol, things are gonna get shaken up at the next Tribal. Maybe now is the time to switch things up and join forces. Ya never know!

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