'Team Hippie' Takes 'Amazing Race 9'

(CBS)  In the end, brains won out over brawn.

The hippies were hip enough to wind up on top in the ninth edition of "The Amazing Race."

In an exciting finish, the popular and fun-loving BJ and Tyler topped "Frat Boys" Eric and Jeremy.

The final episode, which aired Wednesday night, took the three remaining teams from Bangkok, Thailand, to the race's starting point, Denver.

Eric and Jeremy continued to dominate, but BJ and Tyler held tight and passed them during the last flag challenge.

Dating couple Ray and Yolanda seemed to be in third place the whole episode and couldn't get it together.

All three teams made their final pit stop on The Early Show Thursday, with BJ and Tyler each picking up checks for $500,000 from "Race" host Phil Keoghan.

And you could say Ray and Yolanda won big despite their third-place "Race" spot.

Ray shocked Yolanda by proposing, live, on his knees, in the plaza Thursday.

"I think the race was, I mean, it was a once in a lifetime experience," Ray said, "and I mean, you got to hang out with hippies and frat boys but, most of all, sharing the race with Yolanda. It was something that was special. I would have not been here if it wasn't for you and you're like everything I've dreamed of my whole life. Will you marry me?"

With onlookers cheering wildly, she said yes, tears streaming down her face.

Everybody then had cake and toasted the thrilled couple.

When Phil presented BJ and Tyler with their checks, he said they "really embraced this race. They enjoyed every single moment they were on this race, whether they were in first or in last. They kept their spirit all the way to the end. ... And you have a $1 million between you. Do with it whatever you want. Maybe look at getting, you know, a stylist or something!"

Phil was referring to the long-haired, bearded, shaggy look both "hippies" embraced throughout the race, and again in the plaza Thursday.

BJ showed up wearing a purple pirate's outfit, kiddingly saying, "This is just how we dress now. We're rich. And we're not going to hide it."

Tyler joked that he wasn't surprised they won because, "Before the race we TiVoed the last episode and saw that we won. So it wasn't a surprise to us."

He added: "The No. 1 goal for us was to finish the race. Winning was going to be a bonus ride." But BJ disagreed, noting: "We wanted the full experience of 'The Amazing Race.' And the way to make that the most full is to win."

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