Bru Time Podcast #192 - Dave Ashpole: Army Sniper, Firefighter, and Motocross Lifelong Passion

This week on the Bru Time Podcast, I sit down with Dave Ashpole (@d_ash999), an operational UK Fire & Rescue worker, lifelong motocross enthusiast, and former British Army sniper.

Dave shares his journey from leaving school with no qualifications to joining the infantry, serving on tense combat tours in Northern Ireland, and training the Afghan National Army in 2003. He opens up about the perverse sense of pride that comes with delivering tough news in uniform, the modern "corporate" shift within the emergency services, and why he chooses to view psychological resilience as "mental fitness" rather than mental health.

We also get heavily into the bike talk - discussing the best forgiving off-road bikes for beginners, his ongoing battle with a severe ACL injury at 45, and plenty of lighthearted banter comparing the complete package of the BMW GS to the raw adrenaline of a KTM.

In this episode we cover: 

• Dave's background and the childhood spark that started a 2-wheel obsession. 
• The realities of transition: Going from the "Mob" to driving lorries to entering the Fire Service. 
• Inside the modern Fire Service: Why modern recruitment is struggling and why veterans miss the old watch culture. 
• Listener Q&A: Beginner green laning tips, favorite UK tarmac routes (Scotland vs. Wales), and the absolute best/worst bikes currently sitting in his garage. 
• Mental Fitness: How first responders pack away trauma and the warning signs of hitting a wall.

Links Mentioned in the Show: 

• Find Dave on Instagram: @d_ash999

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