Sacramento Journalist On Way To Sochi Worried About Possible Attacks

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — As the Olympic flame continues its journey to Sochi, more than 6,000 miles away, Sacramento-based freelance journalist Jodi Bacon continues to stuff as much as she can into her suitcase.

She has a lot left to pack, but as she zips up, she’s also whipped up into a bit of a worried frenzy.

After all, rumors of terrorists striking Sochi, where she is heading in the early morning hours on Wednesday, remain as hot as the Olympic torch itself.

“I’ve been very nervous about that and been reading as much information as I can, and I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing,” she said.

Reading about potential violence that could break out hasn’t counted Bacon out from a rare opportunity.

“I mean how often do you get the call to, ‘Hey, you wanna go to the olympics?’” she said.

Her mom is one of a few family members biting their nails over her journey—one that’s come with a few quirky security instructions.

She was told not to smile while taking her media credential picture. And that’s not all.

“Don’t go out to drink with any locals. If they say they want to practice their English, don’t go with them, because that could be a plot to get you away from a secured area,” she said.

She doesn’t plan to wander far from the Olympic village where she will be staying.

“I probably won’t be venturing out into the actual town of Sochi, which is about 20 or 30 minutes away, because they’ll have less security there,” she said.

Staying close to that extra security will calm her fears, she says, but in the back of her mind there will be one giant “What if?”

“Maybe this is the calm before the storm,” she said. “Maybe the terrorists are just laying low waiting until the opening ceremonies. You don’t know. Terrorists don’t make sense.”

But for Bacon, it also doesn’t make sense for fear to keep her from living her life.