Welcome to the home page of Brian Sykes. I am not the Oxford geneticist, nor am I the software developer. I'm the whitewater rafting guy from Bend, Oregon. I'm on page two of a Google search. I don't like Pina Coladas or walking in the rain. I like micro-brews, single-malt scotch and moonlight walks on my kind of beach usually involve the risk of stumbling over rocks and falling into the river. Still, there's some tunes you can download and good rafting information (coming slowly) on this site.
A Brief Biography
Born - Fairchild A.F.B, 1967
Upbringing - Military Brat (Washington, Texas, Oregon, North Dakota, Virginia)
High School - Yamhill-Carlton, Yamhill, Oregon
College - University of Puget Sound & Portland State University
Employment - 8 yrs Fred Meyer (thank god I'm done with that!) & 10+ yrs Ouzel Outfitters
Hobbies - Work (see rafting), guitar (see music)
Letters to my name: B.A., W.F.R., G.M. (Everyone needs letters with their name - see my brother's website)
Home - Bend, Oregon
Websites Worth a Visit
Ouzel Outfitters - The absolute best Whitewater Rafting trips in the world.
Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me - Funny
BBC News Front Page - Learn
Pluto is a Planet! - Get on Board
Water Levels - Can't live without it
USAA - Banking & Financing
NASA - When the shuttle is up
Harry Potter - For the Geeks
NPR - News & Info
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| The McLean in me comes out! |
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| On The River |
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| Winter Solo Trip |
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LINKS
Migration Map
National Geographic Genographic Project
Sikes/Sykes Families Association
| Thanks to the Sykes DNA project and National Geographic's Genographic project it is now clear that my branch of the Sykes family is most certainly descended from wonder-bread-variety Celtic/European stock. Y-chromosone analysis also confirms that I am indeed my father's son.
The story of my post-african ancestors began some 45,000 years ago as a group of hunter/gatherers followed expanding grasslands and plentiful game out of northern Africa into the Middle East. Continuing to follow game, they moved east into present day Iran encountering the large mountain ranges of Central Asia. By 35,000 years ago they had moved north across these ranges onto the game-rich grasslands of Central Asia. After 30,000 years ago these people migrated westward into present day Eruope.
This is as far as National Geographic's Genographic program tracked my DNA results. The Sykes DNA project, however, analyzed a far great number of alleles on the Y-Chromosone (of my father) which allowed for geographically placing ancestors in a more recent timeframe. Eventually my ancestors (at some point you would be able to call them Celts) most likely ended up in Ireland. By the time surnames were in use after 700 years ago, my direct ancestors had landed in the Yorkshire/Cumberland area of England. "Sykes" is a place-related name which means stream or creek or boundary ditch. I guess that means we were the people that lived by the ditch. Comparative Y-Chromosone analysis indicates that my branch of the Sykes family is the most common branch of Sykes' with surname origins in northern England.
My specific geneological trail picks up some 360 years ago with the arrival of Richard Sikes in Massachussets. 45,000 years on the trail from Africa to the new world and eleven generations later, here I am. There's a song in there somewhere.
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The $9 Mic Project is a demonstration of what a music bonehead can do with a little technology. On second thought, perhaps it's what a music bonehead can't do - even with technology. You be the judge. The $9 generic computer microphone was purchased at Fred Meyer in Newport, Oregon and is manufactured in China. The laptop is an Accer Aspire 1800. The software used is Cakewalk Music Creator 1.0. The acoustic guitar is a cheap Oscar Schmidt made by Washburn and purchased in Lewiston, Idaho (This guitar is the famous "Lady Lew"). The electric guitar is a Mexican Stratocaster purchased in Portland.
Go to the Project |
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