BayLUG News

BayLUG’s Preferred Parts Vendor, Uncle Dan, now has a web page setup to keep people up-to-date with his schedule. He will also now be able to notify us of LEGO treasures he finds in his shipments. Please point your web browser to:

http://www.uncledanstoys.com

January 6, 2008: MoAH Holiday display ends
January 13, 2008: member’s only BayLUG meeting
January 26, 2008: BayLTC NMRA meeting
February 24, 2008: BayLUG meeting @ MoAH
March 8, 2008: BayLTC NMRA meeting
March 14-16, 2008: TCA Cal-Stewart Spring Meet
April 20, 2008: BayLUG meeting @ MoAH
May 3-4, 2008: Maker Faire
May 31, 2008: BayLTC NMRA meeting
June 22, 2008: BayLUG meeting @ MoAH
July 13, 2008: BayLTC NMRA meeting
July 18-20, 2008: NMRA NTS in Anaheim
July 26, 2008: BayLTC NMRA meeting
August 3, 2008: VVFF/BayLUG meeting
September 27-28, 2008: Great Train Expo in San Jose (tentative)
October 12, 2008: BayLUG 10th Anniversary meeting @ MoAH
November 2008: Great Train Expo in Pleasanton (tentative)
December 2008: MoAH Holiday display starts

Once again BayLUG will be taking part in the Vintage Vehicles and Family Fun Festival in Palo Alto, CA. This event, run by the Museum of American Heritage (where most of our BayLUG meetings are held), is a celebration of old vehicles and family activities. It will be held in El Camino Park, just across from the Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto.

Date: Sunday, August 5, 2007
Time: 10am to 4pm (open to public)
Where: El Camino Park, 100 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA
(across from the Stanford Shopping Center)
Admission: free

Note: Club members please arrive between 8-10am to set up.

The Museum of American Heritage will be closed on this day.

Our club will have three clusters of tables, which need to be provided by us. We will have canopies, but as the event is outdoors, LEGO parts may be subjected to UV rays and other factors. We will be located right next to the main entrance.

Bring your latest models to show off, and/or parts or sets to sell.

More details are becoming available about the club’s schedule for 2007. Keep checking back for updates!

• January 14, 2007 - MoAH Christmas display ends
• January 21, 2007 - members-only BayLUG meeting @ Dave Porter’s house, Woodside
• February 17, 2007 - BayLUG meeting #1 @ Fremont Main Library
• February 25, 2007 - BayLUG meeting #2 @ MoAH
• March 16-18, 2007 - TCA Cal-Stewart Spring Meet @ Santa Clara Conv. Center
• March 24, 2007 - NMRA Preplanning (members only) @ Mtn View Round Table
• April 15, 2007 - BayLUG meeting @ MoAH
• May 19-20, 2007 - Maker Faire @ San Mateo Expo Center
• June 17, 2007 - BayLUG meeting @ MoAH
• June 23, 2007 - NMRA Planning (members only) @ Mtn View Round Table
• August 2007 (date pending) - BayLUG Space meeting/display @ Chabot Science Senter, Berkeley
• August 5, 2007 - Vintage Vehicles and Family Fun, Palo Alto
• September 29-30, 2007 (unconfirmed) - BayLTC train show, Fairgrounds, San Jose
• October 14, 2007 - BayLUG meeting @ MoAH
• November 24-25, 2007 (unconfirmed) - BayLTC train show, Fairgrounds, Pleasanton
• December 8, 2007 through January 6, 2008 - MoAH Christmas display

MoAH - Museum of American Heritage, Palo Alto.

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, CA - The Bay Area LEGO Users Group (BayLUG) and Train Club (BayLTC) is pleased to announce our schedule for the rest of 2006, and a preview of the 2007 schedule.

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October 2006 BayLUG Meeting
Sunday, October 8, 2006
11am-4pm
Museum of American Heritage
351 Homer Avenue
Palo Alto, CA 94301

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Great Train Expo
Sat-Sun, November 25-26, 2006
Alameda County Fairgrounds
4501 Pleasanton Avenue
Pleasanton, CA 94566
10am-4pm both days
Admission: $7 for adults; Kids 11 & under free
Admission is good for both days.

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Palo Alto Museum - “Living LEGO-cy”
December 16, 2006 - January 14, 2007
Museum of American Heritage
351 Homer Ave
Palo Alto, CA 94301
Friday-Sunday 11am-4pm
Monday-Thursday closed
Closed December 25, 2006
Closed January 1, 2007
Admission: Donation

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Preview of the 2007 ScheduleBelow is a preview of our upcoming 2007 schedule. All information is subject to change without notice. Please check back for updates.

• January - Christmas show ends
• February - meeting
• March - train show
• April - meeting
• May - TBD
• June - meeting
• July - TBD
• August - meeting
• September - train show
• October - meeting
• November - train show
• December - Christmas display starts

BayLUG is pleased to announce a special event: Exploring Mindstorms NXT with Mark Edelman, NXT Developer and Founder of Playing at Learning, a Northern California FLL affiliate.

Find out all about the new version of LEGO Mindstorms, with its all new motors and sensors, 32-bit processor, and built-in Bluetooth among other great new features.

The event will take place on May 13th, from noon-3:00pm in Byrd Hall at Wesley United Methodist Church, 463 College Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94306 [map]

The church sanctuary faces Cambridge Ave, and the social hall entrance faces College Ave. There is some limited parking on College, and a large parking garage at Cambridge Ave & Mimosa Lane. If you park there, you will have to walk through the church courtyard or go down Sedro Lane to get to the social hall.

We are pleased to announce the 2006 schedule for meetings of the Bay Area LEGO Users’ Group in the Frank Livermore Learning Center at the Museum of American Heritage in Palo Alto, California. We met there several times in 2005, and had a display there over the holidays which was very popular. We will be meeting on the following days:

• Sunday, April 9, 2006
• Sunday, May 14 Saturday, May 27, 2006 (date changed to avoid conflict with Mother’s Day)
• Sunday, August 13, 2006 (BayLUG will be taking part in the Museum of American Heritage’s Vintage Vehicles & Family Festival at El Camino Park instead of our regular meeting)
• Sunday, October 8, 2006 (BayLUG anniversary meeting)

Each meeting will be open from 11am to 4pm (members-only setup at 10:30am, and tear-down starts at 3:30pm) and will feature members’ models on display, bricks and sets for sale or trade, and a contest (details to be announced). Members who wish to display or sell need to reserve their space in advance, and many members will need to bring their own tables.

Special note: The contests are for members only. If you are not yet a member and wish to participate, please fill out an application form before the meeting.

For the past several months, the Bay Area LEGO Users Group (BayLUG) has been looking for a place to hold its meetings after learning the the Fremont Main Library was undergoing renovations. We are pleased to announce that we have secured a meeting place for BayLUG for 2005. BayLUG meetings will be held in the Frank Livermore Learning Center at the Museum of American Heritage in Palo Alto.

We will be allowed to buy, sell, and trade LEGO parts and sets. If you’ve missed our Preferred Parts Vendor, he will be there selling his wares.

Three dates have been chosen and they are on the museum’s calendar. These dates are:

• Sunday, April 10, 2005 - Spring theme contest; Brick Testament book signing
• Sunday, June 12, 2005 - Contest theme TBD
• Sunday, September 11, 2005 - Contest theme TBD

Each meeting is open to the public from 11am to 4pm and will have a members-only building contest with three age categories, with judging at 1:30pm.

We will also be presenting a three week Christmas train layout and static display again, sometime in late December or early January. Details will be announced when they are finalized.

MOAH thanks its sponsors for 2005:
The Moore Family Foundation
See’s Candies
The Frank Livermore Trust

351 Homer Avenue, P.O. Box 1731, Palo Alto CA, 94302-1731
Phone (650) 321-1004
Fax (650) 473-6950
Web site: www.moah.org
E-Mail: mail@moah.org

BayLUG is pleased to announce a Halloween building contest to be held at the October 9, 2004 meeting at the Fremont Library.

LEGO fans, young and old, are invited to bring their spooky creations to the meeting. If you are not yet a member of BayLUG, join now so you can participate!

Prizes will be awarded in the following categories:

• Most Original depiction of theme - Adult (16 and over)
• Most Original depiction of theme - Kid (under 16)
• Best in Show

Hell Diorama by David Simmons

Rules: Scary, but Non-violent themes please. All entries must be brought to the meeting by 12:00 noon on Saturday, October 9, and available for display until 4:00 PM. Winners will be decided by a vote of all members present at 12:30 PM. Entries must be built entirely from unmodified LEGO® parts and must not be glued. The maximum number of pieces for any entry is 400 (minifigs count as one piece). Entries must be new, original models that have never been displayed before. Each person may submit no more than three (3) entries to the contest. You must be a member of BayLUG to enter.

Special thanks to Mark Benz for providing the contest prizes!

The Fremont Main Library informed BayLUG today that they plan to renovate portions of the building next year. As a result, they will close their meeting rooms to public use for at least six months starting in January of 2005. BayLUG and BayLTC have frequently used the largest meeting room, the Fukaya Room, since their founding more than 5 years ago. As a result, we are loooking for a new meeting space.

BayLUG Meeting at Fremont Library, October 2001

Over the years, the clubs have held many public and members-only functions at several venues including: Fremont library, Newark Library, Ohlone College Newark Campus, First Covenant Church, and several pizza restaurants. The clubs are actively searching for a suitable temporary or permanent replacement venue for meetings and shows. Any members who have access to, or know of, suitable venues (for example, Homeowner Association clubhouses, empty warehouses, member’s homes, or others) please contact Russell or Mark.

An ideal meeting space would meet as many of the following critera as possible:

• Minimal to no cost for use (refundable deposits acceptable).
• At least 800 square feet of space.
• Unrestricted public access.
• Nearby parking/equipment access, and restroom facilities nearby.
• Available on Saturday and/or Sunday from 10am to 5 pm or similar every two or three months.
• Approval/ability to trade and/or sell small amounts of LEGO on the premises during the meeting/show
• Location is in or adjacent to a high traffic area for kids and families, such as a library, for walk-in visitors.
• No requirement for the club to hold liability insurance.

Any offers or ideas for a meeting space, even if it does not meet all of the above criteria, would be most welcomed.

The most recent meeting of the Bay Area LEGO Users Group was held on May 29, 2004, at the Fremont Main Library, in Fremont, CA. On display were several club members’ latest models, including:

• Bill Ward’s DC-3 airliner
• Russell Clark’s church
• Tugboat and Microfig Construction Site by new members Charles and Adrienne Esseltine
• Downtown by Kenny Paul
• Victorian garden and veggie stand by Melissa Clark

Pictures of these and other models can be seen here on Bill Ward’s Web site.