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#90: “I Could Die, And That’s What Drives Me…” (Ash Dykes)
Today’s guest is Ash Dykes. When most people think of adventure, they picture travel, fun, maybe a little challenge. For Ash Dykes, it’s life or death.
From pulling a 120kg trailer through the Gobi Desert with no backup, to hallucinating his way to survival on the brink of heatstroke, to being held at gunpoint and crossing crocodile-infested rivers. Ash has lived through it all.
But this isn’t just about danger. It’s about why someone would willingly step into the unknown, where death is a real option, and what that teaches you about life, fear, and resilience.
Ash shares how he went from a small coastal town in North Wales to setting world records in some of the most extreme places on Earth, and the mental discipline it takes to keep moving when everything in your body is screaming to stop.
This conversation is raw, wild, and filled with lessons that go way beyond exploration.
Key Discussion Points:
- Nearly dying of heatstroke in the Gobi Desert
- Training for world records with just a tire and sledgehammer
- The “third man syndrome” that saved his life
- Why fear is a package deal with growth
- Leading with kindness in life-or-death missions
This one will make you rethink what’s really possible.
Follow Ash:
https://www.instagram.com/ash_dykes/
Follow Chris:
https://www.instagram.com/morechrisgriffin/
Timestamps:
03:00 Why Ash chases danger
09:40 Childhood dreams in North Wales
13:20 $10 bike across Vietnam
18:40 Illegal jungle crossings
24:50 Mongolia mission begins
31:00 Dragging 120kg through the Gobi
37:10 Heatstroke and hallucinations
42:00 The “third man” phenomenon
50:30 Wolves, bears, and crocs
58:20 Breaking down on the Yangtze
01:05:00 The weight of leadership
01:12:40 Survival in the Amazon
01:18:50 Love vs danger lessons
01:24:40 Next mission on the Yellow River
01:30:00 Chasing legacy and purpose
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Published on 4 days, 8 hours ago