The Berber Warriors (what. ever.) fire their rifles to signal the start of the first stage and the teams take off at their respective paces. Blind Guy Erik explains in team TH for No Limits that he hikes by following someone with bells so he can perceive the way, and uses two balancing poles for stability. He adds that it would probably be very embarrassing for all the other teams to lose to a blind guy, as his teammates giggle because he's so right. We cut from the interview to the competition where No Limits is behind Fab 3. Voiceover of Blind Guy Erik reminisces that his teammates told him they were behind a team wearing knee-high socks, and he was like, "There's no way we can lose to guys with knee-high socks." Straight guys dogging gay guys' fashion? Well... you certainly have our attention, now.

Team TH for Fab 3. Ryan expounds there's nothing to the stereotypes of gay men being sassy, clubbing types. They're athletic and this has nothing to do with their sexuality. At all. Forget they're called the "Fab 3." All joking aside, Ryan shares with us that his family disowned him 13 years ago and this team has become his family.

The New York Firemen are struggling up the dune. They're all childhood friends who have jointly chosen a path of least resistance physically, it would seem. But hey, NY Firemen have our American love forever, right?

Everyone appears to be struggling except The Gypsies who are in first place. They've named their team "Gypsies" because they have trademark mustaches and they're self-proclaimed nomadic, free spirits because people probably get sick of their nomadic, free spirit selves and they have to leave. They've supposedly trained very hard physically and it has definitely paid off here. They reach Checkpoint 1 first and grab instructions. "To survive a journey across the unforgiving desert, you're going to need the right camping equipment and three camels." I could've told you that.

Time for goofy camel hijinks. Gypsies get first pick and try to ask the locals which camels are the best. Fab 3 have a little trouble with the camels. AJ gets kicked in the head, but they get going pretty quickly as the locals wonder "Why are their socks so high?" in subtitles, which makes everything extra funny. Football Players, Fishermen, California Girls, No Limits get their camels. Team Kansas -- in 9th place -- have just now reached the top of the dune as The Cops get their camels. A TH for Kevin "Fathead" of NY Firemen clues us in on how stubbornly camels react to coaxing as we watch camels generally being angry and yelling things in camel which would probably translate to: "How did my career lead me here?"