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These directions are for SVLUG meetings when they are held at the Vineyards Conference Center at Cisco Systems' Building 9. We have tried to provide details directions from many locations around the valley. The address of the conference center is:

General Meeting Information

        Date:   First Wednesday of the month, 7:00pm to 9:00pm

	Place:	Cisco Systems
		Building 9 - Vineyards Conference Center
		260 East Tasman Drive
		San Jose, CA

		Building 9 is at Cisco's East Tasman campus
		on East Tasman Drive between Zanker Road and Morgridge Way
		in North San Jose.
		Use the entrance near the fountains.

        Info:   info@svlug.org.
                http://www.svlug.org

        Cisco has asked us to let you know ahead of time that they will ask you to sign-in at the door.

Note: These buildings and this section of East Tasman Drive may not be on all maps yet, certainly on none from before 1999. Most Internet maps (MapQuest, Yahoo, and recently even MapBlast) have them now. If you find Cisco buildings which have letters for names, you're at the West Tasman campus - continue eastbound on Tasman Drive from there until you pass Zanker Road.

See also the info on previous meetings.

Table of Contents

• "In the Land of Numbers..."
• The Building Itself
• General South Bay Transportation Info
• GPS Coordinates
• Map of North San Jose
• Map of Cisco's East Tasman campus in North San Jose
• Be Safe - Get Here in One Piece
• Trolley warning
• Drivers
• Cyclists
• Pedestrians

"In the Land of Numbers..."

It's intended as a reminder to help you find the right set of buildings. Cisco Systems has two campuses in North San Jose. The original site on West Tasman Drive (built from 1994 to 1998) has all its buildings named with the letters A-P. So if you see Cisco buildings whose names are letters, you're in what SVLUG calls the "Land of Letters." And you're at the wrong campus site for this meeting. Go east on Tasman Drive until you pass Zanker Road.

In 1996, Cisco acquired some farmland for the new campus on East Tasman Drive. (Well, East Tasman didn't exist until the road and Coyote Creek bridge were built with the site.) With room for 19 buildings on the new site, it was obvious there wasn't enough alphabet left. So they numbering these buildings 1-19 (built from 1997 to 2000.) And there you have the "Land of Numbers."

It should come as no surprise that we need to mention a third Cisco campus on Tasman Drive. ;-) Coyote Creek is the city limit between San Jose and Milpitas. One mile east in Milpitas, at Tasman and Alder next to the I-880 interchange, is Cisco's Milpitas campus. The numbering system continued there with Buildings 20-24 (built in 2000.) So if you find Cisco buildings right near I-880, go west on Tasman for a mile and a half.

The Building Itself

Arriving on westbound Tasman Drive:
Turn left at the traffic light at Morgridge Way. (Take the signs seriously that say "Stop here on red" - don't cross the railroad tracks in the median of the road unless you have a green left turn signal.) The left turn enters the parking lot facing Cisco Building 10. Building 9 (the SVLUG meeting location) is on your right.

Don't park in handicapped spaces unless you have a disabled-parking permit. If you end up finding the front lobby to Building 9 itself, turn left and go around to the east entrance where the Vineyards Conference Center is.

When turned on, the fountain looks like a water version of the Cisco logo. When empty, it looks like a low planter with a few pipes and a lot of empty air where you might otherwise see plants. This is much more obvious during daytime or twilight than at night.

NOTE WELL: if you arrive late, you will have to be patient until an SVLUG member opens the door. This doesn't usually take very long, but uninvolved Cisco employees should not be expected to aid you - most won't be aware this particular meeting is open to the public. So arriving on time is a good idea - otherwise wait for someone to check the door.

General South Bay Transportation Info

GPS Coordinates

• Latitude: 37° 24.751' (North)
• Longitude: -121° 56.029' (West)

Map of North San Jose

Map of Cisco's East Tasman campus in North San Jose

Be Safe - Get Here in One Piece

• Trolley warning
  • Watch for light rail trains on East Tasman.
    Light rail trains (trolleys) operate in the median of East Tasman Drive in front of the meeting site. Take them seriously - a single light rail vehicle (trolley car) weighs as much as a Boeing 737-300 airliner, up to 65 tons when full. (The rail industry has a strange perception of "light".) Traffic signals will give priority to the trains where they cross streets. Drivers, cyclists and pedestrians should watch for trains. You're OK to cross the tracks only if you have a green light. Pedestrians should cross only on a green "walk" light at traffic signals. Don't jaywalk - crossing the tracks mid-block is an additional trespassing violation beyond jaywalking on a street. And there's too much speeding traffic to watch for on Tasman anyway.
• Drivers
  • There are lots of bad drivers out there - don't follow everyone's examples.
  • Pedestrians and cyclists legally have the right of way over cars, even if they're not where you think they're supposed to be. Pedestrians should not jaywalk but slow down and avoid them anyway.
  • Cyclists are technically vehicles and may be legally allowed in more places on the road than you expect if they're riding with traffic. Give a few feet clearance when passing a bike - don't try to squeeze by if there isn't enough room. If you hit a cyclist, you could injure or kill him/her.
  • If you need to make a phone call, find a legal parking place. It is your responsibility to pay attention to the road.
  • T-shaped signals are for trolleys (light rail), not cars. Observe the round and arrow signals.
  • Stay in one lane as much as possible. Changing lanes frequently slows traffic down.
  • When it rains, turn on your headlights at the same time you turn on your windshield wipers. Remember that speed limits are intended for dry roads so slow down. And start decelerating early when you need to slow or stop.
  • If a traffic signal is out of order, treat it as a 4-way stop.
• Cyclists
  • Wear a bike helmet.
  • Ride on the right side of the road, with traffic.
  • Be predictable - don't do anything that will surprise drivers. Use hand signals before turns. If you must "take the lane" to avoid a hazard, point at the lane to indicate your intention to drivers.
  • Ride defensively and courteously. Many drivers are careless - watch for and avoid them. But don't make cyclists look bad by your riding. Pedestrians have the right of way over cyclists.
  • Use front and rear bike lights at night. Anything else to make you more visible helps.
  • Ride like a vehicle when on the road. Obey traffic signs and rules of the road.
  • Hydrate properly - drink water before, during and after the ride. (Dehydration will decrease your performance and lead to discomfort.)
  • Cyclists are not required to weave in between parked cars. Maintain a safe but steady pace of travel and follow a relatively straight path around obstacles.
• Pedestrians
  • Cross the street only at crosswalks.
  • Follow traffic signals.
  • Watch for cars and bikes - not all operators are well-trained.