It was a crowded cocktail hour, that sprawled all around, so talking to people for more than a minute or two was a bit challenging, though I did chat for a while with Linda & Steve. They told me that they'd gotten lost in the subway on the way there, which I thought was funny. In general they were both very laid back and I was totally charmed by them. I took a photo of Kelly and Christy from last season with Dan (though it took me a while to remember if he was Dan or Andrew) and even saw one of the Pink Ladies, who asked me to snap a picture of her and her daughter on the mat they had set up. Everyone was really nice, but mostly just excited to see each other. Luke ran over to the cheerleaders and gave them a huge hug when he spotted them. Not an easy task given the big mob. It was kind of a trip to see everyone glammed up in sexy little dresses and suits and wearing heels, instead of the matching t-shirt and backpack combo that is so typical. But I was disappointed that stuntmen Mark and Michael weren't there and Jen (of the infamous potty break) was MIA and my personal favorites (and half of the reason that I got off of my sofa on a Sunday night to come to this party) Mike and Mel were also not there. Sigh.

After a bit of chatting and snacking, there were charity presentations and then Phil talked about his bike ride and did his thank yous. "That's a long way, isn't it?" he sighed exhaustedly when given a map to commemorate his trip. "I'm quite blown away by the fact that we finished this." He then told the masses to head to the screening room and we were treated to a highlight reel of his adventure.

Then it was on with the show, and while there were some technical difficulties going on, it was fun to watch this with the racers, mostly to see who had a good sense of humor about themselves. The cheerleaders sat next to Tammy and just cackled as they watched their butts jiggling around in bikinis as they tried to carry a pig. Also, really touching to see a teary-eyed Victor and Tammy go over and immediately hug their parents when they were announced as the winners. It was really, really sweet, and their parents seemed to be bursting with pride. The whole family got a big laugh out of Tammy's shell-shocked expression and her comment about not wearing pants. Margie and Luke saw the episode from a monitor in the main room (due to a closed captioning issue) but as soon as they crossed the finish line, they came in with tear-streaked faces and gathered Victor, Tammy, Jaime and Cara together for a big group hug. It was kind of touching.

As soon as that was over, the chaos began of trying to snag people before they parted ways, or were dragged off to the other room to do a group photo and segment for Bonnie Hunt. I caught Cara and Jaime, who were very excited to have placed as high as they did. Jaime said that there wasn't one particular moment that she'll remember, but "being able to complete the journey was what really stood out for us." And Cara happily acknowledged that she'd stay close with Luke and Margie, and with the rest of the final four. As for their cab troubles, Jaime quickly answered, "We live in South Florida, so we never have to take taxis. So our experience of having to rely on taxis was very frustrating." Indeed.

I didn't get to talk to Victor and Tammy as they were swamped, but I did get to speak with their adorable parents. Their mom cutely acknowledged that they were only in town for one day, and their dad piped up that they were on their own amazing race trekking from Taipei to New York in three days. He honestly admitted that he didn't expect his offspring to win, even when he found out they were in the final three. They'd been watching religiously, though it seemed like they had no choice, "We love to watch it, but [also]... Victor makes us. Even when they were lost." But had a lot of love for his kids and said that they had always been close, "...either in peace or war." He was a charmer and they both were beaming.

I briefly chatted with Kisha (who looked awesome in a white suit), who said that Jen was absent because she just started a new job. She also informed me that they probably wouldn't have made the final three, even if they had forgone the infamous trip to the bathroom. "It was minutes, not seconds," she said. She elaborated that Jen took about 45 minutes to eat her bugs and starfish, while Cara wolfed hers down in about five, and that the cheerleaders' cab driver had dropped them off at a location much closer to the mat... so it wasn't all to do with the restroom. I bet that's what Jen tells herself too.

I couldn't even really get near Margie and Luke, as reporters swarmed them and I just didn't feel like elbowing in, but I did get to meet Phil's dad. So that was something. All in all, it was an enjoyable night, but I did really miss not getting to see Mike or Mel White. Either of them would have made the evening truly a special event.