Bodacious Boomer

 The Amazing Race began it’s 13 season a week ago yesterday. Twelve couples started in Los Angeles and were going to race around the world over the next 21 days. The couple who finishes first wins $1,000,000. When the show first started,  they strived to have all the couples pretty evenly matched- none too old, too physically challenged, too heavy, too dumb. Over the past few seasons though, it appears that the producers are going out of their way to have as much diversity as possible among the couples.

This season they have a former Miss America and her husband. (They are the first bi-racial team). They have a team member with Asperger’s. (That should make for some interesting TV if the Asperger’s gets the better of him). They have an MIT grad with a girl from Beauty and the Geek. They have a team of gay brothers, a team of female professional poker players. There is even a team of two Harlem Globetrotters running. They always have a team of “seniors”. (No team of seniors has ever won, however I always hold out hope). During the last race one team was a 50ish mom and her deaf son. He wanted to show people that deaf people could do anything they wanted, just like  ”normal” people. The Amazing Race just won the Emmy again for the Best Reality Show. Unlike Survivor or Big Brother, etc. these teams are almost always on the move either getting from place to place or off completing different tasks. There are occasional alliances, but they are usually very short lived since the teams are rarely together in a large group for long. The show is driven by the actual travelling in foreign countries, interacting with the locals and having to complete tasks that are common place in the countries where they are for that leg of the race.

There are challenges that each team must face each week. They must choose between two options to pick one task they can do together. Then later, is  a “detour”, where they must pick one of the members and they must complete the task alone. Depending on which one they pick and which team member to do it adds to the interest of the competition. In Indonesia during one race they had to choose between polo on elephants or climbing a coconut tree. Assuming they had a ladder, I’d be up on that elephant in a heartbeat. Me climb a coconut tree? Not in this lifetime. (Although it would make for great comic relief). I’ve never seen a team of two women win. I don’t think it’s impossible. However, some of the the tasks can be pretty grueling and having the upper body strength that most guys have can be a real advantage for a team. Maybe a team of two women power lifters? There is always a cameraman with each team filming everything except during the mandated 12 hour down time, when they can sleep, eat, shower, etc. Some of the interactions between the team members get pretty heated and it’s out there for the whole world to see.

I’ve been wanting to apply to run this with Doug since the first season. However, I’d hate to get on there and be embarrassed by doing poorly. That’s another reason I’ve been working on gettting my 57 year-old body back into shape. (I know I can’t win a foot race against a 20something). However, I think my life experiences and my ease in talking to just about anybody would take us far. (If we got lost in Timbuktu and I had to wait on Doug to ask for directions, I’d be skin and bones before we found our way). Doug’s good with maps and is probably the most stubborn man ever born. (That type of tenacity can take you far). I’m good with people and animals. I think we’d do really well. Besides, once you lose and are out of the race you’re sent to a resort for the duration of the race, so no one in the outside world world knows what’s happened while the race is still being filmed. (Sounds pretty good to me either way). Of course the million dollars would come in handy too. Maybe by next summer I’ll be in good enough shape to apply, assuming Bad Michele doesn’t show up again and derail my progress.

Well, at least I can keep the dream alive for now. Today’s trivia answer- Chocolate syrup.