#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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices