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For a first challenge, this is pretty lame. The teams end up working together to dig a hole until they strike water. Straggling and simply lazy teams like Football Players just take water from that same hole when they finally arrive at the checkpoint. Latin Persuasion is the last team to get to the hole and the fighting finally reaches its crescendo. Raven criticizes Mai for just standing there while she and Dashia fill the water jug. They're not going to succeed if Mai doesn't pull her weight. Raven's anger breaks into tears of frustration. Mai is silent through all of this, but it's OK because she looks fabulous. [Best part? The local who said that he wouldn't want any of those bitchy complaining women as his wife. I'm paraphrasing only a bit here. -- Angel]

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Back to LP face-off. Raven and Dashia continue to dig into Mai about her priority of fashion and being too cool for school. Finally, Mai gives in. "I can be that team player. So, who has the compass and the GPS?" And they're off.

Challenge 2 involves getting to the top of Todra Mountain. This part of stage 1 has organically broken up the teams into three distinct groups. Fab 3, Gypsies, Football Players and No Limits are in the lead. Fisherman, Cops, Team Kansas, NY Firemen and California Girls make up the middle. Mom's Army, Country Boys, Grandpa's Warriors and Latin Persuasion make up the back of the pack, an hour behind the lead. No matter what group or team, all contestants make it a point to complain about the terrain being difficult getting up the mountain.

The challenge instructions at the top of Todra Mountain tell the teams to rappel the 300 feet back down to the bottom of the other side of the mountain. Kari of Fab 3 starts crying at the prospect, but gets over herself and does it with no problems. Gypsies handle it with ease. Football Player Akbar has no fear of heights, but a fear of going backwards off something high. Right. He ends up spinning around a few times. With no lack of intention, Akbar's spinning is contrasted with Blind Guy Erik's easy rappel down the crag.

Gypsies arrive at Snake Valley for the last challenge of stage 1. They must watch a traditional snake charmer routine and count the number of snakes before choosing a box with the corresponding number on it. The correct box will have directions to the finish line and all other boxes will have directions in the wrong direction, resulting in a 30-minute detour until they reach a "wrong way" sign. The Gypsies count 11 snakes. Fab 3 and Football Players count 11. No Limits counts 10, with Blind Guy Erik at the mercy of his teammates' incorrect eyeballs.