Be One With the Hay is the seventh episode of The Amazing Race 37.
Story[]
At the Museum of the Future in Dubai, Carson & Jack are instructed to fly to Sofia, Bulgaria, where all teams will be self-driving for the first time this race. They are hoping that they'll be able to adjust to the self-driving in the new country. Han & Holden leave forty minutes later, excited to fly to Bulgaria and feeling good about leaving in second. Alyssa & Josiah leave a few minutes later, with the two hoping to win the race to pay off their student loan debt and start a family.
Brett & Mark and Jonathan & Ana leave in the middle of the pack, with both teams hoping to make some ground. Melinda & Erika are not looking forward to driving during this leg, and Nick & Mike are grateful to still competing on the race after being seconds away from being eliminated in the last leg.
All seven teams end up on the same flight to Bulgaria. At the airport, they all head to their stick-shift cars to receive their next clues. They are instructed to head to Village Square in Negushevo. Han & Holden cause a backup when trying to overtake Brett & Mark while Alyssa & Josiah are behind them. After Mark teaches them the controls, the remaining teams leave the airport garage.
Some of the teams struggle with reading the maps. Carson & Jack take a wrong exit, having been used to not navigating on the road as much in New York. Jonathan & Ana and Alyssa & Josiah are the first teams to make it to the clue box, which instructs them to load two crates of apples onto a wooden wheeled cart and carry another crate by hand and follow a marked path to deliver them to a Kukeri ritual being held in the village. Having haphazardly put the crates in the cart, Jonathan keeps spilling apples from his cart on the way there. The parents are reminded of Where the Wild Things Are from the unique outfits of the dancers. Both married couples load the apples and receive their next clue, which tells them to head to the Osoitsa Village Hall Library. Alyssa & Josiah pass Jonathan & Ana on the way out.
As the couples leave, Brett & Mark are the third team to complete the task. The Vegas performers have fun dancing with the locals and wish they could have worn the hairy outfits. Jonathan & Ana regain their lead and arrive at the library first. The Detour instructs them to go to Sarantsi Farms, where they'll choose Haystack or Woodstack. In Haystack, teams must choose a cluster of three haystacks and search among them for a red and white Martenitsa bracelet. In Woodstack, teams must use a provided wheelbarrow and wooden pack frame to deliver 200 kilograms of firewood to a nearby marked house. The parents as well as Josiah & Alyssa choose Haystack. Meanwhile, Han & Holden load up the apple cart, with Melinda & Erika repeating shortly after.
Carson & Jack are completely lost and nowhere near Village Square, and start to get worried about being in the back of the pack. They go to a nearby hotel for directions, and find that they are hours behind the competition. Meanwhile, Brett & Mark get their clue at the library and decide to do Woodstack. Nick & Mike, after getting lost a few times, arrive at Village Square to deliver their apple cart. Jonathan & Ana arrive at the farm and have a hard time finding a parking spot before heading to their task. Jonathan is hesitant about the task after seeing how large the haystacks are, but he and Ana get to work. Brett & Mark arrive second at the farm, choosing to do Woodstack given what's happened to past Amazing Race contestants who struggled at hay-related tasks. Jonathan complains that the Haystack task was a mistake and blames Ana for choosing it as Brett & Mark begin to load their wheelbarrow.
Alyssa & Josiah arrive to join in the Haystack challenge. Brett & Mark have difficulty carrying the heavy amounts of wood to the farmer. Alyssa gets lucky and finds the bracelet in her first stack, sending her and Josiah into the lead. They are instructed to head to the Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius, where a Double U-Turn will be waiting for them. Brett & Mark unload their wood and find they've brought 116.5 kilograms, so they'll have to make another trip. Han & Holden accidentally go to the International School instead of the library. Melinda & Erika are the fourth to make it to the library, and choose Haystack knowing Woodstack would be too physically demanding for them. Carson & Jack and Nick & Mike continue to have difficulties with navigation. As Jonathan continues to mope about their luck, Ana finds the bracelet and completes the task for them.
Alyssa & Josiah make it to the church and choose not to U-Turn anyone to keep bad blood off their hands. They are instructed to drive themselves to Snezha's Farm in Belopoptsi. Han & Holden make it to the library and choose Woodstack for their Detour. Brett & Mark pace themselves as they deliver their second wood load. Jonathan & Ana also choose not to U-Turn anyone. As they head to their car, Brett & Mark finish unloading the wood. When they try to head out, Jonathan discovers he accidentally parked his car in a ditch, and it's unable to move. Brett & Mark choose not to U-Turn anyone. As Han & Holden arrive, Jonathan tries using a plank of wood on the tire, but the car still doesn't budge. Brett & Mark offer to help Jonathan & Ana for a couple of minutes and try pushing it out, but to no avail.
As Han uses his knowledge on knots to prepare the wood, Melinda & Erika arrive at the farm. Brett & Mark leave after failing to help Jonathan & Ana. Locals start to come out and offer assistance to get them out of the ditch, using nearby trees to level out the tires. Ana begins to cry while Jonathan complains about their bad luck. Nick & Mike arrive at the farm, having chosen to do Woodstack. One of the locals finally gets the parents out by attaching a rope to their car and towing them out, allowing them to leave. Melinda & Erika question if Haystack was the better choice with the luck factor. Han & Holden bring 70 kilograms on the first cart, meaning they are only a third of the way done. Erika gets grossed out after picking up a dead gecko in the haystack. Carson & Jack ultimately locate the right highway they were supposed to get on hours ago and continue to make their way to the first task.
Alyssa & Josiah make their way to Snezha's Farm, a sheep farm which features a singing woman, Nevenka Oshavchieva, a Bulgarian grandmother who is 102 years old. They find the Roadblock, where one team member must milk a sheep until they reach half a liter and eat yogurt with Nevenka before receiving their next clue. Alyssa chooses to do the task, being a fan of animals herself. After learning how to milk the sheep, she has fun being with the creature and has no problems with completing the challenge. Nick is worried about the intensity of the Woodstack task with his asthma and the heat. The brothers manage to deliver nearly half of it on their first cart. Alyssa milks the right amount from the sheep and eats the yogurt before she and Josiah are instructed to head to the Pit Stop, the Town Square at Elin Pelin.
The remaining teams at the Detour exhaust themselves in the physically daunting tasks in the heat. Carson & Jack finally make it to the apple cart challenge, but spill a good chunk of their apples before delivering them to the ritual and have fun with the dancers. Brett & Mark make it to the sheep farm, where Mark is disgusted upon learning he has to milk a sheep. Mark checks with the farmer after milking a few minutes only to find he's got a third of the bottle done. Nick & Mike are bewildered to find they were off on their second load by one kilogram, and have to return to the wood stack for a tiny amount to complete it. Since their third run has a lighter load, they are able to pass Han & Holden. They receive their clue from the farmer and begin to return their wheelbarrow. At the same time, Melinda finally locates the bracelet, allowing her and Erika to bypass the other two teams.
Upon learning there's a Double U-Turn ahead and believing they're in the back of the pack, the mother-daughter duo rush over to the church to U-Turn Nick & Mike, as they're the only team they know are behind them. Han & Holden complete their load and begin to return their equipment. As they witness Melinda & Erika ahead of them sprinting, Nick & Mike realize they're in danger and begin to run their tools back. Melinda's bad knee gives the brothers some room to catch up, but the women are ultimately able to beat them and choose to use the first U-Turn on them. When they find four clues in the clue box afterwards, they discover how many teams are behind them and regret their choice, apologizing to the brothers. Not knowing who else is behind them, Nick & Mike use the second U-Turn on Han & Holden before heading back to complete the Haystack challenge.
While running back, they inform Han & Holden they U-Turned them, and they follow the brothers back after confirming it. The two pairs of siblings make it to the Haystack challenge and begin digging in. Carson & Jack, believing it'll be their last leg, are calm of the situation and reflect on their time on the race. Mark gets over his fear of milking animals and enjoys the rest of the Roadblock. Ana volunteers to do the Roadblock and has a nice time with the sheep, calling her Maggie, while Jonathan vents about getting passed by two teams. Alyssa & Josiah arrive at Elin Pelin in first place and win a trip to Marrakesh, Morocco. The nurses feel proud of finally getting a win long after Hong Kong.
Melinda & Erika get lost on their way to the sheep farm and ask for directions. Nick & Mike move to their second haystack after failing to find the bracelet in the first one. Ana gets the perfect amount of milk on the first go and leaves with Jonathan. Nick & Mike get frustrated with their reckless approach, further exhausting themselves. Han & Holden move on to their second haystack. Carson & Jack make it to the library to find their Detour clue, and they choose to rely on luck with the Haystack task. Nick & Mike are still unable to find the bracelet after dispersing all three haystacks. Holden successfully locates their bracelet in the second stack, and the siblings make their way back to the church. The brothers, disappointed with their lack of progress, attempt to disperse the hay more. Brett & Mark arrive at the Pit Stop in second place as Han & Holden make their way to the sheep farm. Jonathan & Ana arrive in third, where Jonathan believes he needs to become more resilient and confident.
Thanks to Melinda & Erika going the wrong way, Han & Holden make it to the sheep farm before them, where Holden volunteers to do the milking. He has difficulty gripping the udders and squirting in the right direction in the beginning. As Nick & Mike continue to struggle in the sun, Carson & Jack arrive at Sarantsi Farms and are shocked to discover the brothers at the haystack, meaning they're still in the race despite previously being three hours behind them. The brothers get back to it upon realizing they aren't the last team. The gamers initially start at the haystack, but decide to switch challenges after seeing how exhausted Nick & Mike were. The brothers agree it's a smart call and wish they could just do the wood challenge over again. Holden completes milking the sheep and asks to wash his hands before eating the yogurt from the sheep poop he has on them. After they receive their last clue, the ladies arrive, with Melinda choosing to do the Roadblock. Erika still feels guilty about U-Turning Nick & Mike and hope they pull through.
Carson & Jack get over 65 kilograms in the first delivery. Melinda gets enough milk in her first attempt and compliments Nevenka on her looks. Han & Holden are pleasantly surprised to make it to the Pit Stop in fourth place. Carson & Jack switch places with the backpack and wheelbarrow and make it to 150 kilograms in their second attempt. Nick & Mike are still unsuccessful in their search with the three haybales blending in with each other, with the cameraman showing the audience where the bracelet is located that they are unable to find. Carson & Jack complete the Woodstack task and receive their clue. They quickly pick up from the Double U-Turn warning on why Nick & Mike were stuck on the hay challenge, and believe they'll likely be the second team U-Turned.
Melinda & Erika arrive at the Pit Stop in fifth, where they are still upset about U-Turning Nick & Mike earlier but surprised they did not place in the bottom two teams. After seeing Carson & Jack complete their task, Nick & Mike accept they'll likely be at the farm until Phil comes to them and are bitter about that one kilogram of wood from earlier causing this to happen. The gamers arrive at the church and burst into ecstatic tears upon finding out they weren't U-Turned. They make it to the sheep farm, where Carson milks the sheep. The experience taught them to never give up even when the circumstances are tough as despite all odds, they make it to the Pit Stop at sixth place to remain in the competition
After six hours since the brothers started the Haystack challenge, Phil arrives at the farm to tell Nick & Mike the other teams have checked in and that they are eliminated from the race. Despite the brutal end to their competition, the brothers are grateful for the experience and for finally making it on the show after applying for seven years. They leave with their heads held high and believe their families will be proud of them for upholding their brotherly bond throughout the competition.
Route Markers[]
The order of departure from the Museum of the Future are as follows:
- Carson & Jack (12:34 pm)
- Han & Holden (1:16 pm)
- Alyssa & Josiah (1:19 pm)
- Brett & Mark (1:27 pm)
- Jonathan & Ana (1:35 pm)
- Melinda & Erika (1:36 pm)
- Nick & Mike (1:37 pm)
Teams must fly to Sofia, Bulgaria. Upon arrival at Vasil Levski Sofia Airport, teams will find marked vehicles with their next clue on the windshield.
Teams must drive themselves to the Village Square in Negushevo, where they would find their next clue.
Teams must load two crates of apples onto a wooden wheeled cart and carry another crate by hand and follow a marked path to deliver them to a Kukeri ritual being held in the village in exchange for their next clue.
Teams must drive themselves to the Osoitsa Village Hall, where they must search among the shelves of the village library for their next clue.
Choice A: Haystack
Teams must drive themselves to the Sarantsi Farms, where they must choose a cluster of three haystacks and search among them for a red and white Martenitsa bracelet. Once they have found the Martenitsa, they may exchange it with the farmer for their next clue.
Alyssa & Josiah, Jonathan & Ana, and Melinda & Erika chose this task.
Choice B: Woodstack
Teams must drive themselves to the Sarantsi Farms, where they must use a provided wheelbarrow and wooden pack frame to deliver 200 kilograms of firewood to a nearby marked house. Once they have delivered 200 kilograms of firewood, they would receive their next clue.
Brett & Mark, Carson & Jack, Han & Holden, and Nick & Mike chose this task.Teams must make their way on foot to the Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius, where they would find their next clue.
At the Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius, teams would have the option to U-Turn a team, with two slots available. Melinda & Erika used the first slot of the U-Turn on Nick & Mike. Nick & Mike used the second slot of the U-Turn on Han & Holden.
Since Nick & Mike completed the Woodstack Detour, they would be forced to backtrack and complete the Haystack Detour before continuing.
Since Han & Holden completed the Woodstack Detour, they would be forced to backtrack and complete the Haystack Detour before continuing.Teams must drive themselves to Snezha's Farm in Belopoptsi, where they would find their next clue.
"Who's ready to fill 'er up?"
The team member assigned to this Roadblock must milk a sheep until they obtained a half-liter of sheep milk. Once they have filled a jug with sheep milk up to a marked line, they must eat a bowl of Bulgarian yogurt, traditionally made with sheep milk, to receive their next clue.
The Roadblock performers per team are underlined:
Nick & Mike fell too far behind the other teams and did not perform the Roadblock. Teams must drive themselves to the Town Square at Elin Pelin to check in.
For coming in first place, Alyssa & Josiah won Expedia cashback rewards for a trip for two to Marrakesh, Morocco.
Leaderboard[]
First Place • Eliminated • Last placer on a Non-Elimination Leg or continue racing on a No-Rest Leg • Season winner • Season 2nd place • Season 3rd place • ► Used the Fast Forward• ϵ Used the Express Pass• ⊂ User of the first Double U-Turn slot • ⊃ Recipient of the first Double U-Turn slot • ⋐ User of the second Double U-Turn slot • ⋑ Recipient of the second Double U-Turn slot• ∇ Team that lost the Double Battle
Alyssa & Josiah
Married Nurses |
Brett & Mark
Married Vegas Performers |
Jonathan & Ana
Married |
Han & Holden
Siblings |
Melinda & Erika
Mother/Daughter |
Carson & Jack
Best Friends/Gamers |
Nick & Mike
Brothers |
Trivia[]
- This episode marks the first time that The Amazing Race visits the country of Bulgaria.
- This episode marks the first appearance of a traditional Double U-Turn since "Getting Down to the Nitty Gritty" in The Amazing Race 32.
- Melinda & Erika used the wrong photo(the smaller ones are U-Turn users, and the bigger ones are for the recipients, they did the opposite) to U-Turn Nick & Mike, forcing the latter to also do the same on Han & Holden. Despite that, both U-Turns are successfully used.
- The episode title is said by Han Nguyen.
References[]
| The Amazing Race 37 Episodes |
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"Double the Stakes, Double the Eliminations" · "Very Strong Warrior Energy" · "Chaotic, Crazy, That's What We're Used to" · "There's No Addresses in the Jungle" · "It's Not Personal, It's Business" · "It Smells Like the Desert" · "Be One With the Hay" · "We're Letting Race Brain Win" · "The Pizza de Résistance" · "Up the River Without a Joust" · "My Knight in Shining Armor" · "We're in Miami Baby!" |