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> But seriously. Our roads are not equipped to handle that many people, although SLC has been trying desperately to get their already really good mass transit system even better. But the streets of downtown Salt Lake are difficult enough to get around on, let alone with millions more people trying to go places and see things and bleh. It's going to be a MESS.
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Well, that's what they predicted when the Olympics came here to Los Angeles in '84. They even dubbed the first week day fully scheduled with events "Black Monday" and expected gridlock. But it never materialized. Companies staggered their work schedules; some even closed down while the games were in town; plus the venues were fairly widely scattered, which spread out the traffic some. I know Atlanta was a different story; but it doesn't mean Salt Lake has to be that way. The Winter Olympics aren't as large an event, either, so things may not turn out as bad as some think.

Besides, how often do you get to host the world in your own backyard? Isn't being a part of history worth a little traffic? :-) There is something special about being there. In '84 I was there in the Coliseum to see Joan Samuleson win the very first women's marathon. The crowd was just as moved when a Swiss runner, suffering from dehydration, refused help and staggered across the finish line--I swear, even the jaded among us had tears in our eyes, because, well, darn it, isn't courage and perserverance one (okay, two) of the Olympic ideals? I can't imagine those watching it on TV felt it quite the same way.
I was glad to have the opportunity to be there and experience it first hand.

I also attended one of the weightlifting events.
The crowd was especially charmed by a Chinese weightlifter, who bowed to the judges and to the crowd before and after every attempt. This was the first time China had participated in the games in 32 years, you recall, so there was a lot of interest about their athletes in particular. Wouldn't have had quite as memorable an afternoon if I had decided to skip town.

Anyway, I say you ought to give the whole thing a chance first and see how it turns out. You can always come back later and say "I told you so".

koala"Citius . Altius . Fortius"mom