[JaneYoung]

I'll ask about the shelves or perhaps one of the pit crew will check into this thread and can answer. Are you talking about those black ones in the back?

Alex, we had a corner pit on the first row of 3 pits as you entered the Pits. From where I took this photo, I was standing in the entrance to the 2nd Pit area that also housed the Volunteer check-in and the Volunteer lounge. Directly across from us was another row of 3 pits with a wide aisle between. It still got crowded but it was nice.

When 1902 attended the Bayou Regional, I asked a couple of their mentors, Sarah Plemmons and Wendy Austin, tons of questions about the Regional. I was on a 'mission' to try to get 418 to Bayou Regional and their answers helped me. One of the things they talked about was the amount of space in the Pits. This year, I think Bayou increased the number of competing teams but the teams still had a nice pit space in which to work. 418 was lucky because the NASA table/display was in front as you entered the Pit area and it allowed for more space for foot traffic to be able to move between the 2 Pit areas and back to the arena, as well as out to the lobby. So - that's what you are seeing, Alex. From my standpoint, we had the best pit space in the venue.

At the other end of our Pit area were the inspectors. At the other end of the 2nd Pit area, was the practice field.

This is probably at the beginning of one of the days before the teams were allowed in the Pits and that could make it look weird, too. The calm before the rumble of the storm.

Jane