One of the reasons that 'The Amazing Race' is such a good television show is that when you watch it, you can imagine how you might handle the challenges. Whether it's deciphering a clue involving every country they've visited over the past weeks, or maneuvering a wheel of cheese down a hill in Switzerland, or even eating a Chicago deep dish pizza in one sitting, the beauty of the show is you're along for the ride.

Well, now you can really have an 'Amazing Race' experience even if you're not chosen by the producers of the Emmy-winning CBS series. A Cleveland travel company called Competitours, have created a series of competitions to simulate 'The Amazing Race.' All the challenges will be in Europe, and the teams will be playing for something. No, not a Travelocity gnome filled with magic beans or a Polaris jet ski, but a tidy little pot of $9,000 cash. That's not too shabby.

The cost of joining this race is $2,675 per person (double occupancy), but for that you and your partner get to play the game and travel all over the Continent. There will be 17 teams, racing over nine days. The challenges won't be as complex -- or fun -- as 'The Amazing Race,' but they will try to make the teams work at it. So they'll have to speak to the locals, deal with language issues, try to understand local customs and cultures, and -- of course -- eat the regional fare.

According to the New York Times story, the teams score points by documenting each challenge using a video camera. Something tells me the best of them will be on YouTube.

Would you be willing to dish out that kind of money for a chance to test your 'Amazing Race' skills? I've always assumed that my husband and I would kill each other before we made it to the first airport, but this is intriguing.