I went to CBS's TAR site to find out about the team I was gonna pick for Jim's Casino, and I happened to see this right on their slideshow: The Race Route!

Starting Line: Los Angeles, California
Pit Stops:
1. Stechelberg, Switzerland
2. Salzburg, Austria
3. Bran, Romania
4. Krasnoyarsk, Russia
5. Novosibirsk, Russia
6. Jaipur, India
7. Phuket, Thailand
8. Bangkok, Thailand
9. Guilin, China
10. Beijing, China
11. Beijing, China (!)
Finish Line: Maui, Hawaii

Looking at their map, Thailand is the furthest south that they get. Also, unless the planes take teams to layover in them, it looks like there are no stops, even temporary, in S. America, Africa, or Austrailia....... Strictly an Eurasian Race this season......... and most of it will probably be in fall/winter conditions, as well.........

• RE: We have the route!,indy42, 08:34 PM, 02-14-09
• RE: We have the route!,KwietOne, 09:31 PM, 02-14-09
  • RE: We have the route!,vince3, 09:41 PM, 02-14-09
  • RE: We have the route!,Belle Book, 11:28 AM, 02-15-09
• RE: We have the route!,PepeLePew13, 10:51 AM, 02-15-09
  • RE: We have the route!,vince3, 03:19 PM, 02-15-09
    • RE: We have the route!,jbug, 04:22 PM, 02-16-09
    • RE: We have the route!,shimane22, 04:22 PM, 02-16-09
• RE: We have the route!,shimane22, 04:11 PM, 02-16-09

Yeah... why would they give us the list like that? I just visited the site, they have it up for all to see.... interesting.

Woot...they're going to Romania & Siberia...THEN to India. Wow, what a change in climate!

Looks like the non-elim's could be in Thailand and China.

Probably, especially the two straight legs in Beijing........

I wonder, though. How many episodes are there supposed to be this year? Because I see 12 legs........... if there is 13 scheduled episodes or more, we're looking at Super Legs!

They may also have a non-elimination leg in the first Siberian leg. The other two would most likely be in Thailand and in the first of the Beijing legs.

Belle Book

Interesting that they've got the finish line in Maui, Hawai'i. Think that's the first time they haven't finished in the continental U.S. - and for me, it's not a 'complete trip around the world' as they always trumpet. It's got to be in the continental U.S.!

I know! At the very least, last season they could claim that they went around the world because both Portland, Oregon and Los Angeles, California are on the West Coast.....

This time they're a good 1000 miles away from a complete world trip......

But maybe they travel from the next to last PS to say San Fran or Alaska or something and then back to Hawaii for the final PS.
Would that satisfy you?

Actually, the majority of races have not completely circled the globe:

Not technically a "race around the world"
2. Pahrump, Nevada ---> Marin County, California
3. Everglades National Park, Florida ---> Seattle (Gas Works Park)
7. Long Beach, California ---> Fort Lauderdale, Florida
8. New York (Brooklyn Bridge) ---> Lewiston, NY
10. Seattle (Gas Works Park) ---> Garrison, NY
11. Miami, FL ---> San Francisco, CA
12. Los Angeles, CA ---> Girdwood, AK
14. Southern California ---> Maui, HI

Complete Circle (All the way around the globe)
1. New York (Central Park)---> New York (Flushing Meadows Park)
4. Los Angeles (Dodger Stadium) ---> Phoenix (Papago Park)
5. Santa Monica Pier, CA ---> Dallas (Trammell Crow Park)
6. Chicago (Buckingham Fountain) ---> Chicago (Ping Tom Memorial Park)
9. Morrison, Colorado (Red Rocks Park) ---> Morrison, Colorado (Red Rocks)
13. Los Angeles, CA ---> Portland, OR

Season 9 is the only one to end at the exact same location where the race began.

Since there are only 11 legs total, I'm guessing that the final leg just begins in Beijing and proceeds to Hawaii, rather than there being three consecutive full legs in China.

Most excited to see the Russia and Guilin legs.