BeccaMC22 said:

Thanks goes out to everyone involved — the Volunteers, the Petrillo’s, the town of Blue Ridge, the caterers; in my eyes, it was an absolute success !!

This was my 2nd triathlon & I am now, officially ‘hooked’. Even I, who am not accustomed to cycling hills, found myself taking in every bit of beautiful scenery and having a great time (aside from ‘footing’ a few of the hills ; ) What an awesome bike course.

My dream is to live in the N GA Mountains — perhaps I’ll make it Blue Ridge one day ; )

Thanks again – I feel so honored to have been a part of this inagural race and am excited to be a part of the 2011 Tri The Mountains race !!!

Becca

Monday, July 26, 2010 5:13:59 PM
JustinHHamilton said:

Great Race, Great Venue, Great Everything! Very much enjoyed my time in Blue Ridge this weekend. The course was very well set up, challenging, but not too challenging. AWESOME Shirt too!! Looking forward to next year.

Monday, July 26, 2010 7:04:25 AM
Kjclark said:

My wife and I are from Florida and have a vacation home in Blue Ridge. We have done many Tris around the country and have participated in some smaller and many larger. But we have to say we were quite surprised by not only the turn out but also how well organized it was. We also loved the down home atmosphere of the race, especially at the post race party and awards ceremony(even tho I myself ended up 30ish seconds off the podium lol). What a great event and beautiful venue, we cant wait to come back next year. Great job to all involved and a SPECIAL THANK YOU TO ALL THE VOLUNTEERS!!!

Monday, July 26, 2010 6:17:33 AM
TriLou82 said:

Awesome race! Everything was perfect!

except….I’d love to see some results posted online so I can take a look at my splits Any chance of this happening soon?

Monday, July 26, 2010 5:41:00 AM
ferley said:

This was my first triathlon and I was going to judge my desire to do another on this one…Now I’m hooked! The course was great. I rode a hybrid Trek and did great on the bike course, and of course I want a new bike now! The run finishing up in downtown was awesome! I had forgotten how beautiful it is there! The seemed event to go off without a hitch and that’s great for an inaugural event. Can’t wait to get a few more under my belt and come back next year to better my time! It was great to do my first one in my home town.

Monday, July 26, 2010 2:23:12 AM
raybrown@mindspring.com said:

I will start out by saying I am bias. I have a home in Blue Ridge! BUT this race was fantastic. What a great job by everyone involved. You would think it had been done 10 years in a row instead of it being the first. My only concern now is everyone will see how beautiful the Blue Ridge area is and come up to train on my secret training grounds! Cant wait until next year!

Sunday, July 25, 2010 1:18:42 PM
MadDog67 said:

Congratulations to the Petrillos, the organizers, the sponsors the city of Blue Ridge and all who participated in this wonderful inaugural Tri the Mountains event. What a perfect venue for my first triathlon! The sun coming up over the mountains behind Lake Blue Ridge was a sight I will never forget. I just can’t wait for next year! The event was very well organized and well staffed. The course was well laid out and just challenging enough. All the participants were friendly and helpful. The Comfort Inn was extremely accommodating to all the racers who stayed and were in bed early and up at 4 AM..walking their bikes through the lobby! Even the bossy guy on the microphone at the start could not ruin the day! Thank you so much!

Tuesday, July 13, 2010 12:57:31 PM
BeccaMC22 said:

great news — thanks for the affirming reply that I haven’t bitten off more than I can chew ;

I am so excited and a group of us (only 2 doing the race) are staying in a cabin – we’ll be up Friday morning & plan to ride at least 1/2 the course on Friday afternoon, so we should be good to go.

Thanks — I was told I would be “hooked” … and this is my 2nd and I’m definitely doing a 3rd (possibly a 4th) before the end of the year. What a fantastic way to have fun & stay healthy !!

Look forward to (hopefully) meeting you & your family !!!
Thanks
Becca

Tuesday, July 13, 2010 12:33:36 PM
A.J. Petrillo said:

Hi BeccaMC22,

Congrats on doing your first triathlon! I promise you are not getting in over your head. Our club is comprised of allmost all new triathletes and they are able to ride the course with no problem. It really is a fun bike ride…sorry if I made it sound too dificult:) We have a lot of first time triathletes signed up for the race, plenty of aid stations and a great meal planned for after the race. If you can come up and pre-ride the course, I am sure you will feel much better about it. Thank you for signing up for our event!

Have a great race!
AJ

Tuesday, July 13, 2010 12:19:26 PM
BeccaMC22 said:

A.J.,

A friend of mine and I did My First Triathlon at Lake Lanier on June 5 this year. Although we have been training considerably since that time, we do very little “hilly” cycling. I’m beginning to wonder if I am getting in over my head — I’m already registered and very excited to participate, with the exception of hearing you say “very rolling with few flat sections”, I am in for a surprise or what ; o )

Tuesday, July 13, 2010 5:43:35 AM
A.J. Petrillo said:

Hi Christi,

Great question. The course is very rolling with few flat sections, but I would suggest a standard since there are no long sustained climbs or anything too steep. We tried kept the course on the flattest ride in our area..no gaps to climb. The course is faster on the way back with some fun downhills. For someone that has never ridden any hills, a compact might be a good idea..but not necessary. If you want to pre-ride the course, it is really easy to figure out. Start at the Blue Ridge Marina. Turn Right on old 76 heading North East. Follow that 9 miles and then come back. It is a low traffic road and smooth. I think there is a group meeting at 6:00pm on Wednesday to do a mock tri on the course as well.

Thank you for participating in our race!

AJ

Monday, July 12, 2010 3:14:26 PM
CGongola said:

Hi A.J.,

Do we need a compact or an 11/28 cassette to race this course? or will a standard do the job?

Thanks! Christi

Thursday, July 01, 2010 8:41:18 AM
A.J. Petrillo said:

Great question! The race committee has contracted 2 full size busses to transport athletes and spectators from the finish to the transition area after the race every 10-15 minutes. There will be a full meal provided to the athletes and a formal awards ceremony. We will have 2 busses that will be transporting spectators to the finish after the athletes start the bike. These will leave the transition area once they are full. Spectators can also drive to the finish as well. There will be plenty of parking in Downtown Blue Ridge. This is an inaugural event, but the race is put on by GA Multisport, the largest race organizer in the tri-state area, and promises to be a top notch event. St. Judes has also partnered with us on the race. If you sign up for the race, you can sign up to be a St. Jude’s hero. This makes it easy to raise money for this incredible charity and also earn great prizes. Let me know if you have any other questions. AJ

Thursday, July 01, 2010 7:49:12 AM
flyan bryan said:

Is this a newbie triathlon event? Cannot find any past details or race results. Can someone tell me how we retrieve our belongings at T2 after run into downtown? GM providing bus transpo back?

Thursday, June 24, 2010 7:20:06 AM
A.J. Petrillo said:

We do have groups that train together in Blue Ridge. We do open water swims every Friday morning together and some Sundays. We also have differnent levels of group rides that bike during the week and on the weekends. E-mail me with your info and I will get in touch with you about our schedules georgiamountains@hotmail.com.

Thursday, June 24, 2010 5:55:48 AM
GladAyer said:

A.J., can you tell me if there are any groups that meet to train for tri’s in Blue Ridge?

Tuesday, June 22, 2010 1:50:29 PM
A.J. Petrillo said:

In response to Bill’s question about the lowering of the lake: No, this will not affect the race at all. They can only take it down so much in 10 days without flooding everything down stream. Even at the lowest point, which will not be until October, we would still have water to swim in. If you have any questions, please call the race director or me directly. Thank you!

Tuesday, June 22, 2010 1:32:21 PM
Original Bill said:

I heard they were going to start draining the lake for maintenance on July 15th? Is this going to affect the race?

Tuesday, May 04, 2010 11:41:52 AM
Michael A Berger said:

This sounds like a fun and scenic race. The past Ga MultiSports events I have competed in have been very well organized. Hey, if A.J. Petrillo says this is an incredible race in a triathlon mecca, then it truly must be. I’m signed up!!

Thursday, March 04, 2010 11:51:27 AM
A.J. Petrillo said:
This will be an incredibly scenic race in the North GA Mountains! The swim will be in the crystal clear waters of Lake Blue Ridge. The bike is an 18 mile out and back crossing over the lake with mountains towering in the background. The run will be a point to point and end in Historic Downtown Blue Ridge. Awards and the after party will take place in Historic Downtown Blue Ridge and should be one to remember. If you have never visited Blue Ridge GA, put this on your race schedule! Come see why Blue Ridge is becoming a triathlon mecca!

A close friend and fellow triathlete, Steve,  is working overseas in Afghanistan on a military base. While out for a daily run Steve stubbled upon a litter of 5 puppies. Standing orders on base are to exterminate the dogs, but being the animal lover he is, Steve is trying desperately to transport the dogs back to the states where he has homes ready to adopt the puppies. We are asking anyone with any resources, ideas, money, etc, to please help us out before it’s too late. Steve can be contacted via email at stephen.sipprell@gmail.com or on face book at http://www.facebook.com/#!/stephen.sipprell

Below are the latest email threads and pictures of the pups……….

To anyone who has expressed an interest here is a quick update on the puppies.

Although I was given the OK by the XO of the base here to gather the pups to rescue, the word did not filter down to the ranks. The Sargent Major put the order out to get rid of the pups. They reside under a connex trailer (basically and big shipping container you see on boats), and there is no way to get to them, unless the come out. The order that was given by the Sargent Major was to cement them in under the connex. While that was going on one was caught and given to the local Afghans on base to take into Kunduz city. This was one of the very cute white ones. Not to bum anyone out, but they take dogs around here and cut their ears and tails off, and treat them very poorly. Not sure why, but now you can understand why it is so depressing if you love dogs. So luckily one of the GIs I know came and told me about the entombing of the pups. After getting the Sargent Majors attention to the fact that the XO had given me a green light he called off the kill order. From there we tried unsuccessfully to get them all that night, but they were a little traumatized. Needless to say I was very bummed and disheartened by the whole situation.

Last night I had a little more success. I had all four at one point trapped so we could get to them, but I was by myself at this point, and two slipped back under the connex. The other two we managed to rescue, and I am happy to say that they are safe. Scared as all can be, and probably wondering what all is happening. It is very heartbreaking to see, but it is for the best. So tonight I will continue my efforts to locate the remaining two pups and reunite them with their brother and sister.

Getting the dogs to Kabul is not panning out as I hoped. We are now considering paying a local to drive them from here to Kabul, with payment once they are deemed safe by the vet down there. From there it is very likely that we will have to pay for their transportation to Frankfurt Germany. We are still awaiting word from Delta to help out in possibly allowing us to ship these guys back to the states. We have homes for some of them already, but not all are accounted for. We actually have someone here who wants the mother as well. I can understand because she is the sweetest thing .

I highly encourage those of you to look on the web site The Puppy Rescue Mission as they are the ones who will be assisting me in getting these pups to a new and happy home. I have puppy food and dry shampoo on the way to keep these guys going. Last night I picked all the ticks and whatever else I could find off of them to hopefully alleviate their trauma. This task has been physically and emotionally draining with all the other responsibilities I have here, but I feel I am past the point of no return in making sure these guys find a happy and loving home. Two down, two to go, and then it is a matter of finding a way to get these guys and girls back to the states.

Here are some pics, enjoy. PFC Jennifer Vogel  will be the first recipient of one of these loving animals

Steve

Previous Emails

So many of you after reading this might think I am insane. I too question what exactly it is I am doing, but I feel as I  have to try something. As many of you know I am a very huge dog lover. I have come across a few out here on our base that for the most part are taken care of. The military has put a few down as they are concerned for any diseases they may carry. I understand it, but it is hard to imagine as I have yet to find one that has been aggressive, and they are a friendly reminder of mine at home, that I miss very much. The other day while running on base I came across a litter of puppies. All about 6 weeks old and very cute. They are very timid, but obviously starved for food and shelter. I know their fate is dire if they remain here. Either the military will erracticate them, or they will slowly get sick and die. It is pretty heart breaking to me to think that either of these things could happen. I know I would be willing to take in one of these pups personally. I have reached out to the base commander for his help in getting these pups out of here, but it is pretty much up to me to make that happen.

I am not sure if it is even possible to get them out of here and shipped back to the US. I am willing to pay for the cost of getting these guys sent to the states, and then getting them treated. I have reached out to one organization so far to solicit their help in the logistics of transport and treatment. Not sure if I will get any support or response from them. Does anyone know of organizations or people who might have insight to this type of thing? It might go nowhere, but I can’t rightfully sleep knowing that these little guys have a dire fate without someones help. I feed them everyday, and try and play with them. I certainly have delevoped an attachment to them, which is probably the last thing I needed out here, but it is too late now.

Things to consider: Getting them shipped back to the US. Getting themscreened and shots. Finding them a good home (who wouldn’t want a dog with a cool story, and from Afghanistan. You just have to learn Pashtun or Dari to train them ). I am willing to use my own finanical resources to help make this happen, but just do not know where to begin.

Please let me know if anyone thinks they have any ideas I can even keep these dogs at my house in GA until I find them a home, once they have been checked out.

Any and all help is much appreciated, even if this does not work out. Please pass this along to anyone who you may think would be able to help a good cause.

Steve Sipprell

Hi Stephen,

Thank you for wanting to rescue these beautiful babies.  Have you had a chance to look at our website?  We have been successful in getting almost 90 dogs home.  I will need more information from you.  What is the time frame we are dealing with?  How far are you from Kabul?  Do you think you can find a way to transport them to Kabul?  Are you taking any of the dogs into your own home?  Do you have homes for all of them?  This may be a shock to you but the cost of getting the dogs to the USA is $3000 per dog and then depending where they go in the US the cargo fees run from $300-400 per dog.  If we can transport via vehicle if they are on the east coast that’s even better.  It sounds as though you have a lot of support but to raise over $15000 do you think this is something that is possible?  Our mission is to help soldier’s rescue their animals and we also do help contractors but typically because of the salary contractors make we don’t raise funds for them however 5 dogs is ALOT so I would discuss with my board if we could possibly help raise some of the money to help.  Let me know what you are personally able to afford and thing that you can raise.  Also, another thing that could help, depending when you fly home if you can fly through India or Frankfurt Germany then you can bring some of the dogs with you as excess baggage and if you have friends willing to do so as well this cuts the cost more than half if not even more….  Let me know what you think.  Hope to hear from you soon.

Warm Regards,

Anna Maria

Wow Anna where to begin. Seems daunting, but I keep telling myself this is something I have to figure out. Let me try and orderly answer your questions as I will take you lead on this matter. Yes I have looked over your website, and it motivates me even more. Let me start off by giving you my background. I am a Northrop Grumman contract pilot out here. I am assigned to a FOB in Kunduz. I am also an airline pilot back in the US. I have many friends that work for the major airlines, and have reached out to them for their help. Let me answer your questions first, and then throw ideas at you. The cost of this endeavor it one of the bigger hurdles to me.

1. It is about 160 miles from Kunduz to Kabul. We fly into Maja E Shareef (Mes) which is about 80 miles to the West. Kabul is directly south. Both bases are large transport bases, and there is daily contracted helicopter service twice daily to Mes. The airport here in Kunduz also has a lot of fixed wing service to Kabul. So getting the pups to Kabul will take some work, but I am sure as a fellow pilot I could possibly fenegal the trip to either Kabul or Mes. Mes for certain would be easiest. Unless you have insight to this it will take a little research and goodwill I hope to make that leg happen. Once in either location I am at a loss. I may even be able to go with them to Mes to hand them off to someone or help coordinate their transportation out of Afghanistan. Then the question is form there where do they go.I have a pilot friend for Delta that said he could possibly get them from Dubai to Atlanta, GA on a delta flight. Only question is how would I get them to Dubai. This option might be best from a financial perspective if he can arrange Delta to waive the cost. Not definite, but he offered, and I told him to look into it. Perhaps even if we can get them into Europe, Delta maybe an option.

2. I am considering taking a dog into my home. There are 5 pups, and I would think I could take one. I have put the word out to many of my friends to please ask around, or to consider it themselves. My thought would be to foster them in the states at my house while we look to place them. I have a large home in GA that they could stay in until we place them. I also have many people that would care for them until we placed them (fostering) who wouldn’t want a dog with a cool story.

3. Money, yes I personally would contribute up to $2-$3K for this whole project. I am trying to use resources and placements to keep this to a minimum. AS much as I love dogs and really care for these little guys $15K is a lot to pay for anyone. I have already have people willing to pitch in for the cost, but $15K is a lot, and how long would it take to gather together. Yes if your board would consider this at all that would be huge. Perhaps not all, but anything would be greatly appreciated.

4. Homes for them. I understand that if we had designated homes already this would be fairly easier. I think I want to solicit guys here that may want one from this base (military guys). So if that was the case then we really would be in line with your organization. I am certain getting homes for these guys won’t be the hard part. If I can get everything else figured out the homes for these guys can be mine till I place them. In other words I am willing to foster them until I place them. This would also cut down on the cost of shipping them in the states. By the way I live in Atlanta, GA and there are plenty of people I know that would help me place them locally.

5. Time: Not sure how much time it will take to pull this all together and if the dogs well being will maintain until then. There is a standing order here on this base to not feed, water, or touch ferrule animals. I spoke to the base XO and he understands my plight, and is willing to turn the other way if I can pull this off. The policy is to have a local dog catcher come on base take the dogs 50nm away and drop them off. If they come back then the Army puts them down. Otherwise problem solved. So I told the commander if I can get these pups out of here it is a win, win. Army does not have them as a liability to anyone, and the dogs get a chance at a good life and home.

Well that is where I am. I plan to get a contact number for the contract helicopter pilots who fly in here. I have me them, and fellow pilot to pilot I think I can convince them to get them to Kabul. Then if I can get them to Frankfurt, Germany, I have plenty of friends in the airlines with free travel that could perhaps do a mercy mission to get them to the US for free, or cheap. Finally I have a very close friend who’s father is a Vet to possible check them out. Obviously, pay for the initial vaccinations and supplies, and neutering. If not perhaps I can solicit my Vet to help out in a humanity effort. Not sure what documents, quarantine status, and any other legal ramifications would be required with customs in bringing a foreign, stray into the states.

Anna I can not thank you enough for reaching out to me to even discuss. I will continue my mission until I hit the proverbial brick wall. I just hope time is on their side to make this happen.

Btw I can call you. If it is easier to discuss over the phone. I have a local Roshan mobile phone I can call to the US fairly cheap. Don’t mind for this cause.

Thanks again.

Steve

Blue Ridge, GA (PRWEB) June 06, 2011

Escape to Blue Ridge, one of the leading providers of North Georgia cabin rentals, announced it will be the title sponsor of the Tri The Mountains Triathlon taking place July 24, 2011 in the North Georgia Mountains.

Now in its second year, this year’s event will be called the “Escape to Blue Ridge Tri The Mountains Triathlon.” It’s estimated that 500-600 athletes will participate, with scores of additional family and friends there to cheer them on.

The race promises to be an incredibly scenic journey through the mountains. The 600-yard swim will take place in the crystal clear waters of Lake Blue Ridge. The bike is an 18 mile out and back crossing over the lake with mountains towering in the background. The 5K run will leave the Lake Blue Ridge Marina and head towards town on Old Hwy 76, where participants will be cheered on as they enter the historic town of Blue Ridge. The awards ceremony and after party will take place in the park in the center of town, promising a day to remember for everyone involved.

“We at Escape to Blue Ridge are passionate about the North Georgia Mountains and believe it’s simply one of the most beautiful and special places on Earth,” said Escape to Blue Ridge co-founder Pamela Miracle. “Sponsoring the Escape to Blue Ridge Tri the Mountains Triathlon is our way of sharing that passion with others and welcoming new people to the area who may not have experienced its power and beauty yet.”

For additional details click on Escape to Blue Ridge Tri The Mountains Triathlon.

About Escape to Blue Ridge
Escape to Blue Ridge provides luxury cabin rentals in the North Georgia Mountains year-round, with over 75 cabins in their portfolio. By delivering on the company’s commitment to providing an unforgettable vacation experience, time and time again Escape to Blue Ridge has seen first-time guests become dedicated clientele, passionate about introducing their family and friends to the wonders of the North Georgia Mountains, and counting on Escape to Blue Ridge to provide the same great experience they’ve come to expect.

Media contact:
Pamela Miracle
pamela(at)escapetoblueridge.com
866-618-2521

At the start of the race, one team member will run and one will ride the bike. At the 1st obstacle, the rider will drop the bike, complete the obstacle, and begin running. The runner will arrive, complete the obstacle, find their bike and begin riding. Teams will continue leapfrogging each other through the entire course.

At the end of the race, racers crawl through the infamous Mud Pit crossing the finish line together as official “Muddy Buddies”!

Most of these programs are very simple, especially those that rely on a command-line interpreter (shell) to perform the actual output. However, they can be surprisingly complex, especially when writing the program for graphical user interface.

When programming an embedded system, the text may be sent to a liquid crystal display. In a device that does not display text, a simple program to produce a signal, such as turning on an LED, may be substituted for “Hello world” as the introductory program.