CALHOUN COUNTY, AL. — What viewers see each week on The Amazing Race is only part of the story.
As local contestants Daisha and Dalton continue their race around the world, the pair are giving Calhoun Journal readers exclusive behind-the-scenes access to their experience, sharing details about the challenges, decisions and moments that viewers may not fully see during the televised episodes.
Following the first two episodes, Daisha and Dalton sat down to walk Calhoun Journal readers through what was happening behind the scenes — including why Daisha took on the first Roadblock, how they recovered when they believed they were at the back of the pack, what was really happening when Dalton was on his knees at the finish mat and the decision to use their Express Pass in Spain.
“We have officially survived the first two episodes,” Daisha said as the pair began their recap.
Episode One: A Roadblock With a Surprise
One of the first things Daisha and Dalton wanted viewers to understand was just how little information racers have when deciding who will complete a Roadblock.
The first episode presented the pair with the question of who wanted to go fly fishing. Some viewers later questioned why Dalton did not take the challenge, particularly because it ultimately involved Daisha jumping from a building.
The answer was simple: They had no idea what was coming.
“When it says, ‘Who wants to go fly fishing?’ that’s the only information that we’re given,” Daisha explained.
Because Daisha enjoys fishing, the decision initially seemed like an obvious one. Only after committing to the Roadblock did they learn what the challenge actually involved.
Daisha ultimately completed the jump three times, something Dalton said left her physically and mentally exhausted.
Despite believing the repeated attempts had put them at the back of the pack, the couple was able to make up time through navigation. They quickly located the AquaBus after asking for directions and discovered they were not as far behind as they had feared.
Dalton said they initially thought they were in last place, but Zach and Nate were behind them and missed the AquaBus after making a wrong turn.
The episode eventually came down to a rowing battle as Daisha and Dalton continued fighting to remain in the race.
There was also an explanation for one moment that caught viewers’ attention at the mat.
Dalton was exhausted and dealing with severe cramping by the end of the leg. When viewers saw him on his knees in front of Daisha, she revealed he was actually kissing her stomach while recovering from the physically demanding finish.
The pair also arrived at the mat barefoot — another memorable ending to an already difficult first leg.
Episode Two: “Who Wants to Get Sauced?”
Episode Two took the racers to Madrid, Spain, where another deliberately vague Roadblock clue forced Daisha and Dalton to make a decision without knowing exactly what awaited them.
This time, the clue asked, “Who wants to get sauced?”
Daisha initially believed it could involve dancing and thought Dalton should take it.
It did not involve dancing.
Instead, the challenge involved La Tomatina and searching through tomatoes for an item — something Dalton described as a “needle in a haystack” challenge.
Daisha and Dalton arrived at the challenge first, but the pressure increased as other teams began finding what they needed while Dalton continued searching.
That was when the Express Pass became part of the conversation.
Dalton told Daisha he wanted to use it. She urged him to keep searching.
“Don’t, don’t do that,” Dalton recalled Daisha telling him. “Just wait. Keep looking.”
Despite her encouragement to continue the search, Dalton ultimately used the Express Pass, allowing the pair to move forward and continue the leg.
Their Madrid adventure wasn’t over.
The pair also tackled a charcuterie-related challenge that included carrying a leg of ham through the streets of the Spanish capital before ultimately surviving their second leg of the race.
Surviving — Even When It Isn’t Pretty
Two episodes into their televised journey, Daisha and Dalton aren’t claiming they’ve raced perfectly.
In fact, they’re joking about the opposite.
“Have we been showing off? Yeah,” Daisha said.
“We’ve been surviving,” Dalton responded.
Daisha joked that their experience so far has almost become a “how not to” guide for The Amazing Race — how not to do everything perfectly, but still find a way to survive.
Behind the humor, however, both acknowledged the difficulty of the competition.
“It’s stressful,” Dalton said. “It’s one of the hardest things we’ve ever done.”
And their exclusive behind-the-scenes conversations with Calhoun Journal aren’t ending with the first two episodes.
Daisha and Dalton plan to continue sharing additional insight with Calhoun Journal readers as their journey unfolds, giving their hometown audience a closer look at the decisions, challenges and moments that happen beyond what viewers see on television.
They also left one tease for Episode Three.
“We might be the problem,” Dalton said.
“We may be the problem.”
