DiscoverThe Pocket with Chris Griffin#90: “I Could Die, And That’s What Drives Me…” (Ash Dykes)
#90: “I Could Die, And That’s What Drives Me…” (Ash Dykes)

#90: “I Could Die, And That’s What Drives Me…” (Ash Dykes)

Update: 2025-09-01
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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

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#90: “I Could Die, And That’s What Drives Me…” (Ash Dykes)

#90: “I Could Die, And That’s What Drives Me…” (Ash Dykes)

Chris Griffin