Remaining teams (in order of Dogleg 7 finish):

  • Keo and June (Chicago Chimpanzee Father and Daughter)
  • Army Mule and Navy Goat (Armed Service Mascots)
  • Hercules and Maxx (New York City Police Dogs)
  • Quincy and Taffy (Golden Retriever Brother and Sister)
  • Bella and Douglas (Former Presidential Candidates/ARI Winners)
  • Heidi and Depot (Tennessee Cocker Spaniel and Cat)

The Amanxing Race 2: Going to the Dogs
DOGLEG 8: Go Fly a Kite!

Phil Kiwi makes an announcement after every pair has arrived in Budapest: For the next leg of the Amanxing Race, each female racer must wear some sort of head covering. Bella, remembering last time, has brought her straw-flowered hat; Heidi has a University of Tennessee baseball cap; June makes a scarf with help from Bela Jr., and Taffy borrows part of Navy Goat's blanket.

Taffy is still very sad at the loss of her little friend Pierre, who went back to Spain with his family. Koko says, "Koko wear hat. Koko sad. Koko love little white dog. Sad yellow dog? Yellow dog slow down? Fine animals chimps first. Koko love chimps."

The chimps that Koko loves are the first to leave Budapest. They receive some strange orders: to backtrack by train to Germany to the U.S. Army European Command, where they will sign up for one of two Stealth Bomber flights. The smart primates put two and two together and think they know where they're going next. Army Mule and Navy Goat also seem very aware on this Dogleg.

Everyone makes the same train out of Budapest, with Bela Jr. waving goodbye from the station. Bella sleeps while Army and Navy huddle in the corner with the police dogs. Where could they possibly be going? When the train stops at the Army base, the pairs rush to sign up for the Stealth flights.


Hercules and Maxx

The three dog pairs run ahead and get on the first plane, leaving Bella and Douglas, Keo and June, and Army and Navy to wait for the second stealth bomber that leaves an hour later. Keo is very curious, walking up into the cockpit and trying to figure out where they're going. All the Racers know is that, when they land, they will find their next clue.


Preparing for takeoff: Heidi and Depot

The first Stealth bomber arrives, and the police dogs run right out of the plane. It's a mountainous, but desert-like landscape they see, and there are many security people around. They find their clue. "Welcome to Kabul, Afghanistan. Take one of these jeeps to the center of town, where you will find your ROAD BLOCK."

As the dog pairs ride from the airport, they hear the second Stealth bomber approaching. Their next clue is the Road Block.

Flying kites was a popular pastime in Afghanistan until it was banned by the Taliban, but it's allowed under the new regime again. Now one Racer from each pair will have to fly a kite into the air. Quincy, Maxx, and Heidi (wearing her Tennessee cap) all get their kites into the air and receive their next clue: to go to the Kabul Zoo, the night's PET STOP.


Residents of Kabul help Navy Goat fly his kite

While Bella and Douglas and Keo and June have no trouble getting out of the airport, it's a different story for Army Mule and Navy Goat. Everyone there wants to get his picture with Army Mule. By the time they are finished, the service mascots are two hours behind the others. Douglas and Keo are successfully flying their kites in the center of town.

Quincy and Taffy are the first to arrive at the Kabul Zoo, where they are greeted by Secretary of State Colin Powell, and an Afghan Hound. "Quincy and Taffy, welcome to Afghanistan. You are Team Number One." Depot and Heidi are next, followed by the police dogs.

Oh no! Army Mule and Navy Goat are being loaded into separate jeeps! Army is driven to the next clue, but Navy Goat is taken back to the military post where they put pink bows on his head and attach a "Beat Navy" sign to his horns. Army Mule is very upset. He can't do the Road Block until his team member is there!


Keo waits for June


Maxx takes the wheel of the Jeep

Douglas and Bella, and the chimps, all arrive at the Pet Stop. Colin Powell asks Douglas what happened to Fancy Feast. Meanwhile, Navy Goat finally arrives at the Road Block. Army can fly the kite, but he's upset.

First, Colin Powell introduces the other special guest at the Pet Stop. "Racers, I want you all to meet someone. This is Samboo the Bear, who was a victim of the Taliban. His nose was cut off. He's doing better now, and wanted to meet the Racers from the country that helped him. He hopes that someday he will be well enough to participate in an Amanxing Race himself." Samboo greets the Racers, and is particularly friendly with Bella. Bella doesn't tell them that she was born without her tail.


Samboo


The nose-less Samboo greets the tail-less Bella

Then he has another announcement, that all the Racers have been dreading. "Army Mule, Navy Goat... I have good news and bad news for you. The good news is that the Pentagon has awarded both of you special commendations for promoting the Army and the Navy so well throughout this race. You will receive your medals when you get back to the States. The bad news, as you can probably figure out, is that you are the last team to arrive at the Pet Stop and thus are eliminated from the race." As the service pair turns to leave, they see all the Racers, Phil and Koko included, lined up to salute them.


Colin Powell and an Afghan Hound welcome the Racers at the Kabul Zoo

Next, on Dogleg 9 of the Amanxing Race: The racers visit the Roof of the World - want to bet where that is? All in all, it's just another brick in The Wall. Then, will it be the Year of the Monkey, Year of the Dog, or Year of the Tiger? And why will Bella and Depot have an unfair advantage? You won't want to duck this episode!

DOGLEGS: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Written by Becky Banfield

The Amanxing Race was inspired by CBS Television's The Amazing Race.

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