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The Race Begins
THE AMAZING RACE began in an isolated desert valley near the tiny town of Pahrump, Nevada. Helicopters transported the eleven two-person Teams to this desolate starting line. Not only did the Teams have no idea where they were headed, but they also had no clue where they had landed. They only knew that the clue to their next destination was sealed in an envelope waiting on top of their backpacks.
Host Phil Keoghan signaled the start of the race and the Teams rushed to their backpacks. Chris & Alex, lifelong friends from Boston, were the first to grab the clue envelope. They ripped it open to discover they were to find the "Big Man" in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
( Shola & Doyin wonder how they'll get out of the desert) To get there, they would have to catch one of three flights from McCarran airport in Las Vegas. Available seating on each plane, however, was limited. Seven of the Teams would make the American Airlines flight, scheduled to leave first; the remaining four Teams would have to take a later flight.
 The initial challenge for the competitors was to find their way out of the desert. Each Team selected a waiting Ford Explorer and drove off across the sandy plain in search of race flags guiding them to a paved road. As they drove through the dusty desert, Tara checked the flight schedules and informed her teammate Wil, "The second one leaves two hours later, so we need to get on the first plane!"
Chris & Alex were among the first to spot the flags, followed closely by siblings Blake & Paige. "Let the games begin!" Blake noted as they made their way onto an unfamiliar two-lane highway.
 "Excuse me, do you know how to get to Vegas?" Alex asked at a gas station. While he was getting directions, mother and daughter Deidre & Hillary and Peggy & Claire, the "Gutsy Grannies," observed them from their vehicles, and eventually followed them onto the road into Las Vegas. ( Oswald & Danny tell why they joined the race)
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