Ray and Yolanda have being together for half a decade. While Ray is more disciplined than Yolanda, Yolanda is the accomplished athlete on the team, and she ran track with Ray's cousin. Thanks to that point in Yolanda's life, Ray and Yolando met and that ended up resulting in their being boyfriend/girlfriend. Although they're currently living in Chicago, they're from Florida.

I'm basically getting Danza + Hornio vibes from this team. However, and IMO, they're the team that looks like their flying under the radar, and eventually, they'll come out of nowhere and start dominating the race, kind of like David/Jeff.

I believe Yolanda is the owner of "the best legs in the world," according to Phil.

Phil is SWOONING over her legs. (Yes, your wife will love you for that.)

They seem fit, but I don't know if they can win it all.

Ray cracked me up after he said "Ray... like the sun" to Lake's "Lake... like the ocean." After hearing Lake refer to them as "the blacks", he couldn't have been too happy to begin with. His reaction to Lake remind me of when Jonathan kept going on about being a "superhero" to Bolo, and Bolo just stared back at him. Hee!

Yolanda seems to be tough. And both did a good job of ignoring all the catcalls, and just finishing the Detour. I hope we see more of them.

They're athletic, they work well as a team, they're smart, and they work well under pressure.

I think we've got a leading team, here.

This is the only team I like. Also, not coincidentally, one of the only teams who weren't acting like asshats or constantly making stupid faces and comments for camera time.

The tiara twits and some of the other teams could take some lessons from Ray and Yolanda.

I like these two a lot. I hope they continue to interact with each other in a reasonably respectful manner as they managed in this episode.

I truly thought Ray was gonna lose it and take a few rowdy Brazilians to task for being swine when they were hooting at Yolanda and I was so happy that he didn't and just focused on the task at hand. I like that he wasn't completely rattled by the rude crowd. I just hope he can keep that demeanor where Lake is concerned--I couldn't tell if he heard Lake refer to Yolanda as "the black girl" or whatever he said, but it would be tempting to give Lake a punch in the snoot if he did it again.

Yolanda is lovely and she reminds me I need to get my incredibly unmuscled thighs to the gym!

I thought we had a Lenny & Karyn here from the pre-race videos -- that Yolanda was more aggressive than Ray and that would cause some fatal tension. But they seem more evenly matched than that -- a very good sign. I think they'll go far.

As usual, Phil is spot on.

I like this team. They kind of faded away in the last half, just because they were being, well, competent, but yeah. Nice match for one another, they're both pretty (I'm shallow), they did well with the bike and both of them kept their cool when I probably would have lost it.

I was surprised when I heard Yolanda say that it was a long-distance relationship. Had I read that, and then forgot? Anyway, we'll see how Killer Fatigue affects them, but so far, I like them.

I liked them, hope we get to see much more of them as the herd thins out. I liked his quick wit, the easy sense of humor they had going in the car, her not being daunted either by putting together the motorcycle or by the ogling, and his ability to not posture when those obnoxious guys were ogling his girl. They seem level-headed, competent, and I think they have a quiet but good sense of humor. I hope they go a long way in the race.

I absolutely fell head over heels in love with Yolanda, when in the opening, she stated that "like her, Ray has a lot of drive and determination" (or words to that effect...can anyone get the exact line?) Whatever it was, she made it clear early on that they are equals and will work together. Most male/female teams tend toward bossy woman/meek man or pushy men/weak women dynamics and I'm glad to see one of the few representations of an apparently healthy relationship on this show.

Gorgeous, efficient, and nice to each other. They're in my top three along with Dave & Lori and BJ & Tyler (what can I say, they crack me up).

Those legs, man alive. I admire a woman who can embrace her muscular thighs, rather than trying to diet them down to a more stereotypically attractive skinniness.

Just love them. By far my favorite team and I was glad to see them figure out the motorbike task and not let the obnoxious locals get them down.

Hope they start beating asshat Lake to the bathmat so I can laugh my ass off!!

These two and Wanda/Desiree are my favorites so far.

I was hoping to see Yolanda go after those catcalling pigs with a wrench.

I am looking forward to seeing Yolanda and Mrs. Dentist in a footrace. The Black Girl would definitely win! And wouldn't that just chap Mr. Dentist's hide?

No wonder Phil is obsessed over Yolanda's legs. Screw this racing business, she needs to find a catwalk and strut on it pronto.

I was very impressed with Ray, for two reasons:

1. He held his anger in check. I really thought he might blow up at the Brazilians who were heckling Yolanda, but he didn't. AND, he didn't blame the attention on her, which some jerky men might have done.

2. When he hugged her, he held her gently as opposed to Lake, who practically took off his wife's arm.

Loving this team so far.

LOVED them. If they become a little more efficient they will definitely go far.

Yolanda is on my good list because of her focus and humour (and how she ignored all of those obnoxious cat calls). But Ray? Not so much. I'm glad that he took his oppression and used it as a motivation to become a lawyer, but I am getting some "Duhhhhhhh" vibes from him.

I think Yolanda's just as hot as Desiree. On a second viewing of the show, I think these two are about my favorites, maybe even winning out over the hippies. (!!!)

Wanda and Yolanda aren't the same person.

I'm much more interested in seeing Yolanda and Mr. Dentist in a footrace and her smoking his intense ass. Now that would chap his hide.

I love them, therefore they will not win.

Ray's kinda hot. And so's Yolanda.

I love these two too, they are early favorites, along with Wander/Desiree. I liked it when she told him to calm down in the cab and was like "How would you feel if you had a big black man behind you saying 'Are we close?'"? Hee.

This team really seem to work well together as equals. I hope they stick around a long time.

I knew I loved them when Yolanda made a remark about the altitude making her feel like she had blood in her lungs--and then giggled.

Beautiful AND funny.

I must be 100% straightchick, though, because I didn't even notice her legs.

I like them, they were nice to each other and seem to be fairly self-aware. And her legs! Not only were they cool in the race, she inspired me to work out even harder.

The comment about their long-distance relationship was a little bothersome. It just seemed kind of sad that they haven't actually been together that much. But maybe it worries me more than it does them.

Yay! They're stronger racers than I had expected they'd be. I loved the way she was telling Ray "like the sun" (nice retort, btw) where to put things on the bike. I know she's an athlete. Is she a mechanic too? When did everybody see her legs? I thought she was in leggings the whole time.

In the opening introductions segment, they were running in the park. She had on shorts.

This was the part where I decided they were among my favourites, as he visibly relaxed. Seems to indicate a healthy relationship, as well as one in which they're comfortable enough to tease and know how to defuse one another in tense situations.

And the way she did his voice was hilarious.

So far this is my favorite team. I find them the least obnoxious by far, and they seem very competent. Plus they're pretty.</shallow> I would KILL for legs like that!

Generally I like them.

Yeah, I thought it looked like it was bothering them from their facial expressions, but they didn't let it stop them from doing what they had to do. Still, it has to be uncomfortable.

When she said that all I could think was “Dude, way to buy into negative stereotypes about your own race.” Doesn't seem to have bothered anyone else though.

I think that Yolanda was fucking with Ray to diffuse some of the intensity of the day. (ie. catcalls).

Is anyone else getting a Jill/JonVito vibe from there. The proud, built silent type, and the mouthy, tiny cut sexpot type? Tough as rocks? No? JvJ?

Liking the team so far. Ray's a hometown boy (Jax, FL) so decided I would support them even before the show started, but I'm glad they seem to be nice, normal racers (ie no testosterone fueled aggressiveness, no incessant shrieking and no general bitchiness).

Don't know if they have what it takes to go the entire way though...

They were great!

I am a bit worried, because I recognize their backpacks...I had the same one and abandoned it after one trip that won't have been anywhere near TAR in intensity or amount of travel.

Having been in that situation (and looking no where near as hot as Yolanda), I totally agree. The fact that they could semi-ignore it and keep their mind of the task was impressive. I also liked that Yolanda was right in there doing it and not all "oooh honey you do the dirty stuff".

I also agree with those that didn't like the whole LD relationship thing. I don't understand why people think this is a good place to see if they can stand each other for long periods of time.

Plus, the whole long distance relationship schtick is no longer true. If you read their bios on CBS, it notes that they recently moved in together in Chicago.

Like many of us, these two have a healthy sense of humor about race and the realities of how others deal with the fact that we are of color. Being black doesn't bother us as much as it bothers some other people (Lake) and some of us find that funny. Ray and Yolanda rock.

I don't see that it "bothered" Lake at all. He may have been a bit on the politically incorrect side by using race as a way to identify which team he was talking about, but I think that's more because he's a loudmouth with not much tact than because he was at all bothered by them. In fact, Ray was the one person on the race we saw him make much of an effort to get to know.

OK, I just gotta chime on on the whole long distance relationship thing here.

I've been there, done that (and married him, 10 long years ago).

However, if you want something permanent, doing something totally stressful is not the place to sort it all out.

Also, if you're in a long distance relationship, you need two key components:

1. Trust
2. Communication

That's BOTH elements. If you're in doubt about one, find someone closer to home.

ETA: MrEx say's that (for Kris & John) AZ/CA is not "long distance", hell, it's still in the same timezone! I think the same applies to these two. An an ocean and a dateline for a bit of a challenge!

I like them a lot too. And I was especially surprised at how well they got along considering they are having a long distance relationship.

I have been to Sao Paulo and I totally smacked atleast a dozen people with my purse for the comments they made, especially since I understood them! I am proud that Yolanda could keep it to herself and focus on the task.

Brazil has a great amount of people from African descent so I think the cab driver probably has dealt with them before. Nonetheless, I agree that it was just Yolanda's attempt to calm Ray down.

Slightly OT, but HA! When I was travelling across Cuba, I ignored the whistles and catcalls and they eventually became background noise. Of course, if I could understand what they were saying, it might have been quite different.

I'm pretty impressed that Yolanda could concentrate considering the amount of attention she was getting. Even though I accept those men's behaviour as a cultural thing, I think I would have lost it after a while, what with the pressure of the race.

I thought it was great that the Pinks are so out there trying to be hot, with their cleavage and tight tops and kissing the locals, who then proceed to say and do nothing and not help at all, while Yolanda just wears a subdued outfit and gets all the attention.

Of course, I'm pretty sure you could bounce a quarter off her ass, and that'll be appreciated in Brazil more than in other places.

I thought that was funny too! I love this team, they seem to have the ability to really focus and not get rattled or freak out.

Am I crazy, or does Yolanda look like Kelly, from Ron and Kelly two seasons ago? There's something--her physical appearance, her facial expressions, her voice, something--that reminds me very strongly of Kelly when I see Yolanda. Of course Yolanda comes off much better because, well, no bitchface, and it's hard to imaging her berating Ray. But I'm just wondering if I am the only one who sees it.

I think I see where you are coming from; they both have very strong bone structures. Yolanda, to me, looks exactly like one of the little girls in Mad Hot Ballroom. (If you've seen it, she's one of the Washington Heights dancers. I tried to find a photo online to no avail, but the resemblance is striking!)

But IIRC they didn’t say they were on the race to see if their relationship would work. The relationship seemed solid. They said that because they had a long-distance relationship, the race was going to be the longest amount of time they would have spent together so she was looking forward to it, or something to that effect.

It was far smarter of them to ignore those men, too, since the men would have violently fought back if Ray had reacted physically, and not even he could have handled all of them. I'm amazed that you weren't physically attacked for retaliating against the men who shouted piropos (the technical term) at you in Sao Paolo; that is absolutely the most dangerous move to make, based upon everything that I've ever read about the phenomenon. As it is, they probably felt that you were just another crazy American with issues.

Then again, I'm a gay male who finds it complimentary when he gets piropos shouted at him, so what do I know? ;)

Okay, the topic is really the show, and not so much telling each other about how to behave in other countries, so let's not go in this direction. Thanks.

I agree, EndoftheWorld. I am rooting for them, but I didn't see any of the drive in Ray that Yolanda referenced in their interview. He's a little bit too laid-back. Not saying he has to have an aneurysm (glaring at you, Lake "like the ocean" Dumbass), but a little pep in the step wouldn't hurt. Although, to be fair, it is quite early in the race, and it's not a bad idea to avoid getting worked up too early. I have no doubt they can handle the physicality of the race (and Ray is quite yummy), but I have initial concerns regarding their ability to strategize. I hope they're not coasters, at least when it's really important. They may just fly under the radar until it gets really intense, who knows? Based on the competition this season, I could see them in the top three easily.

These two are my favorite team. I get a good vibe from them, and hope that they will go far. Kudos to Ray for concentrating on the motorcycle and not wasting time uselessly yelling at the locals. They're in a foreign country and in an intense race situation. As long as Yolanda is not physically harmed, I think he was fine to let it go.

Can I have those legs? Please, please, Yolanda, be my personal trainer? Woman kicks butt. This team is seriously physically fit - I like them, even if they are a bit serious (or just edited that way)