Road Rules X-treme, Episode 6: The Tribe Has Spoken

The episode opens with the Roadies driving their new runt mobile twenty miles up the coast, from Santiago to Calama. The scenery they pass through is gorgeous and rocky, not unlike the desserts of the western United States. Ever mature, the Roadies find the greatest pleasure in the mooning drivers they pass. Danny leads the way, claiming that he now feels comfortable enough with his R.V. mates to hang out and have fun. And if Danny isn't worried about his place in the group, surely we shouldn't be, either.

The Roadies get their clue that night, which instructs them to wear long pants and tennis shoes. Ibis speculates that this could mean they will be running in the dessert. I don't know why they even bother to guess, since they haven't been right once. Patrick reiterates how high the stakes are for him and his teammates, in that if they lose, they will have to vote someone off. Danny vows to not be the weakest link.

Next day, the Roadies drive out to the driest part of Chile, where their mission is to drive a dune buggy on a track over some rough terrain. Most of the Roadies are stunned at the task, but Jodi has been around dirt bikes and Go-Karts and thinks it is no big deal. The Roadies will again be put in pairs, where one person's task will be to steer the dune buggy and give directions to his or her partner, who will control the gas and brake levers while blindfolded. Each pair goes around the track three times, and in order to complete the mission, their combined time must be no longer than twenty minutes.

Kina pairs with Jodi, Ibis with Derrick, Danny with Patrick. Ibis and Derrick are up first. The dune buggy swerves and bumps over the track, and Ibis (blindfolded) describes it as being "very sharp and fast, and it's hard to make out exactly what is going on. It's so, so scary." The dune buggy splashes through a large puddle before surging over the finish line. Total time: 2:03. Now on to the second lap, which is even bumpier and faster -- they clear it in 1:52. Jodi reminds her group that if they can all clear the track in two minutes or less, they will have thirty-nine seconds to spare. So of course that's an invitation for the dune buggy to stall. Frustrated, Derrick tugs at the clutch, and Ibis works the gas, to no avail. Derrick tries to signal for help, but no one comes. Finally, the dune buggy rumbles back to life, and carries them over the finish line at 3:26.

Rather than deduct the time that the dune buggy was stalled, the Mission Managers inform the other pairs that they will have to make up the time lost. Danny and Patrick are second, and Danny tells us that he is going to give this mission his all, so he can do better than everyone else! Patrick steers, while Danny works the gas and brakes. They make great time, 1:54, 1:56, and 1:53. Danny feels good that they did so well, and is confident that everyone knows he is a big competitor. And once again, if Danny has no worries, I see no reason why the rest of us should.

Now Jodi and Kina are up. Jodi is relieved that they have enough time left to complete their laps, just as long as they keep it steady. Jodi drives, while Kina controls the gas and brakes. "I hate being blindfolded," says Kina, "because I can't see where I'm going." I've heard that can be a problem. Jodi finds it hard to remember to tell Kina to brake, and feels that given how fast they are going, the first lap is a little scary. Until they get near the finish line, that is, and their dune buggy experiences another breakdown. The seconds tick away past two minutes, as Jodi and Kina try to figure out what to do. Their dune buggy finally comes back to life, but when they make it over the line, the time is 3:13. Jodi frets that she will have to be "superwoman" and make the final laps in less time than anyone else, and fears being sent home if she can't. The second lap gets done in 2:04, meaning that the last lap must be done in a minute and thirty-eight seconds in order for the Roadies to succeed.