Mitt Romney might as well have been on a campaign swing Monday, given all the hands he shook and the questions he faced from the pack of reporters tagging along.

But the Salt Lake Organizing Committee president wasn't looking for votes from the hundreds of people he greeted at Olympic venues in Park City, Deer Valley, Wasatch Mountain State Park near Midway and Provo.

Instead, he made the stops to personally thank SLOC volunteers. Most of them, however, seemed more interested in telling Romney what a good job he's done with the 2002 Winter Games.

Rob Shane, a volunteer helping to direct traffic at the congested ? and cold ? park-and-ride lot near Park City, told the organizing committee leader, "I'm having the time of my life."

Spectators seemed pretty happy, too. Romney was applauded at the cross country and biathlon stadium at Soldier Hollow near Midway, and one man yelled, "Mitt! Way to go." A group of Norwegian biathlon fans leaned over the railing to shake his hand.

"It's not like we're bucking them up from the cold and the discouragement. The overwhelming majority are saying thank you," Romney said on the way to the McDonald's in Heber City, where he stood in line and paid for his favorite indulgence, a regular hamburger.

By late afternoon, Romney had visited a total of four venues and posed for countless pictures. He'd chatted with crews sitting down to a pasta lunch in a heated tent and King Harald V of Norway in seating set aside for Olympic dignitaries.

Only one person had approached him with a complaint, a member of the University of Utah's chemistry department. "We didn't get anything out of this. We didn't get any free tickets," Dennis Edwards said to Romney.

"You got $40 million for the University of Utah," Romney answered quickly, citing the money contributed by SLOC toward the construction of the student housing now being used as the athletes' village and the improvements to Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Edwards said he hoped the investment would trickle down to the U. staff.

"Hopefully it will trickle down to the students," Romney retorted.

A typical day? Not quite. Romney said usually, he hits only three venues a day, plus the nightly medals awards ceremonies in downtown Salt Lake City. There might also be a couple of meetings, with his senior staff and leaders of the International Olympic Committee.

His day will likely end where it began ? sitting around his Deer Valley kitchen with his wife, Ann, four of their five sons, and their families. For breakfast, there are pancakes . The midnight snack is cold cereal.

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Romney, 55, has suspended his daily workout, a three-mile run on a treadmill, but claims that's due to a banged-up toe rather than his hectic pace. He said he's averaging almost eight hours of sleep a night.

If he's dreaming of another run for public office, Romney's keeping it to himself. He said he won't make any decisions about his future until after the Paralympics run by SLOC for disabled athletes end on March 16.

Although Romney announced last August he wouldn't return to the business world after his Olympic career ended, he said Monday he still hasn't decided whether to stay in Utah or return to Massachusetts. Romney leaves open the possibility he could run for office in Utah. For now, though, Romney is focused on getting through the Games. He's quick to remind reporters that despite the rave reviews so far, until Sunday, "when that closing ceremony puts out the flame, it's too early to tell."

E-MAIL: lisa@desnews.com

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