The Amazing Race eliminated Harley Rodriguez and his partner Jonathan Knight during the 26th season's fourth episode Friday night on CBS.

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Harley, a 41-year-old group fitness trainer, and Jonathan, a 46-year-old entertainer, were ousted from the race around the world after they arrived at the fourth Pit Stop in last place. They are both from New York, NY, and have been dating for seven years.

"The Amazing Race is a huge dream of mine. It's one of the most amazing experiences I've had in the 46 years that I've been alive on this planet. It's that good!" Jonathan said following his team's ouster.

"Yeah, it's that good!" Harley agreed.

The Amazing Race's fourth episode began with dating couple Michael Dombrowski and Rochelle Nevedal leaving the third Pit Stop in Phuket, Thailand, at 3:26AM.

Blind date Hayley Keel and Blair Townsend departed in second place at 3:51AM followed by blind date Jenny Wu and Jelani Roy at 3:52AM and blind date Laura Pierson and Tyler Adams at 3:54AM.

Dating couple Aly Dudek and Steven Langton left in fifth place at 3:58AM. Dating couple Matt Cucolo and Ashley Gordon headed out at 4:01AM, and right on their heels were blind dating couples Bergen Olson and Kurt Jordan at 4:02AM and then Jackie Ibarra and Jeffrey Weldon at 4:03AM.

Harley and Jonathan departed the third Pit Stop later on at 7:01AM.

The teams' first set of clues instructed the teams to fly to Bangkok and then, upon landing, make their way to a temple called Wat Yannawa. At this point in the season, Blair was getting really annoyed with Hayley's constant nagging.

All the teams got on a 6AM flight to Bangkok except for Harley and Jonathan.

The first team to arrive at Wat Yannawa was Laura and Tyler. They were then followed by Matt and Ashley, Aly and Steve, Jeff and Jackie, Mike and Rochelle, Bergen and Kurt, Hayley and Blair, Jeff and Jackie, Jelani and Jenny, and finally Jonathan and Harley.

While everyone faced a Detour, Harley and Jonathan had to complete a "Speed Bump" task before they could continue on with the rest of the teams. For the "Speed Bump," the guys had to make a traditional Thai grasshopper out of all river reeds.

The Detour was set up a little differently than usual. The teams had to pick a mode of transportation either "Wheel" or "Water" and then complete two tasks along the way to their next destination. This Detour ended up being a race within the Race.

"Wheel" required the pairs to choose a tuk-tuk vehicle and weave in and out of the congested traffic.

"Water" required the teams to utilize the city's river system by taking a water taxi.

Laura and Tyler, Matt and Ashley, Bergen and Kurt, Mike and Rochelle, and Aly and Steve all opted to travel via water taxi.

After having trouble finding the Detour cluebox, Hayley and Blair also wanted to ride the water but there were no more boats once they got in line.

As a result, Hayley and Blair had to go back and find a tuk-tuk. They then ran into Jelani and Jenny as well as Jeff and Jackie at the boat dock. Hayley and Blair warned the pairs they had to grab their clue at the temple before getting on a boat -- although there weren't any left regardless. Jenny was frustrated they were so far behind the pack. 

Hayley and Blair therefore were left to travel via "Wheel" along with Jeff and Jackie, Jelani and Jenny, and Harley and Jonathan. The tuk-tuks appeared to move incredibly slow in the traffic.

For the "Wheel" Detour, the teams first had to sink a red ball in a game of Snooker, which is played on a pool table.

The first of two tasks for "Water" forced each team member to eat a 1,000-year-old egg, a traditional favorite.

The Snooker game was fairly easy, but eating the egg seemed to be a disgusting task for all involved. The egg turned into a jelly-like substance and the yolk was said to be the worst part. Unfortunately for Matt and Ashley, they ate an egg at the wrong market, and so they ended up having to eat two of them.

The next task for "Water" required the teams to participate in a traditional Thai prayer by choosing one of the apprentices to assist them in making an offering. Once done, a monk would hand them their next clue. The teams who took part found the task relaxing and enjoyable.

The second "Wheel" task led the tuk-tuk riders to Caturday Cafe, where they had to feed the local cats milk. 

Laura and Tyler finished the entire Detour in first place. They were then followed by Bergen and Kurt, Matt and Ashley, Aly and Steve, Mike and Rochelle, Hayley and Blair, Jeff and Jackie, Jelani and Jenny, and Harley and Jonathan -- who had been lagging behind the group the entire time.

The teams were then instructed to make their way to Patumwan Siang Gong and search for their next clue.

Laura and Tyler got to Patumwan Siang Gong before any of the other teams. Bergen and Kurt got there in second place, and they were then followed by Aly and Steve, Matt and Ashley, Hayley and Blair, Jeff and Jackie, Jelani and Jenny, Mike and Rochelle, and Harley and Jonathan.

It then became time for one member from each team to complete a Roadblock task.

For the Roadblock, the Racers had to remove the transmission from a faulty engine block and search for a screwdriver accidentally left behind by a rookie mechanic. The screwdriver featured the teams' next clue.

Tyler decided to try the Roadblock, and he was later joined by Steve, Matt, Blair, Bergen, Jeff, Jelani, Rochelle, and Jonathan.

Jeff and Jelani struggled the most with the task and were embarrassed that Rochelle figured it out before they could. She had never dealt with a transmission before either.

Once Harley and Jonathan got to the Roadblock task, they had a strong feeling they were in last place. However, they remained optimistic that something could happen to another team, allowing them to stay in the Race.

Laura and Tyler finished the Roadblock in first place and also received the special "date night" opportunity. They were then followed by Aly and Steve, Matt and Ashley, Bergen and Kurt, Hayley and Blair, Mike and Rochelle, Jeff and Jackie, Jelani and Jenny, and Harley and Jonathan.

The teams were then instructed to figure out that Metal Castle was a temple called Loha Prasat.

Jelani and Jenny worked with Matt and Ashley to figure out the clue and directions, but once Jelani and Jenny figured it out, they ran away as fast as possible and hopped on a tuk-tuk -- leaving Matt and Ashley in the dust.

Matt called Jenny "a b-tch," and Jelani was upset because they ruined any chance of potentially being allies with the hair stylists in the future. Jelani didn't want to screw Matt and Ashley over.

Bergen and Kurt arrived at the Pit Stop, meeting The Amazing Race host Phil Keoghan, in first place. They were shocked to win the leg and received a trip for two to Mexico.

Hayley and Blair made it to the Pit Stop in second place, and then Aly and Steve finished in third. Laura and Tyler claimed fourth place. Jeff and Jackie arrived at the Pit Stop in fifth. Mike and Rochelle then met Phil in sixth place, followed by Jelani and Jenny in seventh and then Matt and Ashley in eighth place.

Harley and Jonathan stepped on the Pit Stop mat in ninth -- and last -- place. Phil announced they had been eliminated from the Race for good after they were saved at the end of the previous non-elimination leg.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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