Oli Dorn: SUNLIGHT Adventure Crew Member

Oli is one of the best Enduro mountain bikers in Germany and travels for the most part of the year. He loves his life on the road (and in the mountains), but still is a homey type. Good thing this doesn’t have to be a contradiction and he can be mobile and at home at the same time.

Oli, you are travelling for more than half of the year. Are you a restless person?

Oli: No, I don’t think so. I am very curious about cultures, people and places, but I am not a restless or driven guy. It’s my job and I only love travelling so much, because I usually have my base, my home with me: my family. The motorhome is our chance of combining these two poles: family and career. This is why our life is amazing.

Your girlfriend, your little son Nino and Balu, your dog, travel with you most of the time. Are they enjoying this, too?

Oli: Absolutely. Everyone sees more of the places we go to than I do, because I am mostly on the trails biking. For Nino it’s the perfect way to grow up and Balu loves it anyway.

Why is it so perfect for Nino?

Oli: Well, one thing is that he grows up surrounded by nature. If the weather gives us the slightest of chances, he’ll want to get out. He crawls on his blanket, discovers the meadows and now he is learning to walk and pulls himself up on the step. It’s always a good sign for me if kids don’t need a lot of toys. Nino is very frugal when it comes to that. And, of course, I like that he’s into bikes, too. He can sit in front of them forever and just eyes them up.

And Balu watches over him?

Oli: These two are inseparable. If Nino eats a bread it goes without saying that Balu gets at least half of it. And Balu never lets him out of his sight. It is also great to see that through travelling they are never shy of strangers at all. Wherever we go they feel at ease. As soon as Balu notices we get along with people they are part of the pack.

And in the RV itself? Do they like being inside as well?

Oli: Yes, absolutely. On the road Balu is lying between the seats since he has to know what is going on — or where we are going. His other favourite spot is under the table, because there he can see the door and all the action. He’s a herding dog after all.

And Nino’s favourite spot?

Oli: 100 % the cockpit. It’s such a highlight for him to sit in front on my lap and turn the steering wheel — not while I’m driving, of course … It’s amazing what he’s learning by just watching us. He sits there and reaches down to the gearshift and knows where the windshield wiper starts. Bicycles, motorhome and dog — that’s his.

And as a family with a dog there is enough room for you in the T 65?

Oli: Absolutely. Even when it’s raining and we are in the motorhome quite a lot. During the day our double bed is Nino’s playground. The windows are at one level with the bed so he can look out, see what is happening outside and is busy knocking against the window. And this he does until he falls asleep with his head resting against the window.

And what is your favourite feature of your motorhome?

Oli: Gee, that’s a hard one. But probably that you can have two separate rooms with the T 65. If you open the bathroom door it turns into a closing bedroom door so that you have two single rooms. This is a superb solution. This way we won’t disturb Nino when he’s asleep and we are working on something. And vice versa, if I have to make a business phone call and need some quiet I just close the door. I also sometimes travel with photographers or filmmakers and then everyone has their own area as well. That’s just fantastic.

It generally sounds like you live your dream …

Oli: Well, I’m not a fan of sketching out some idyllic scenery. I think this lifestyle is ideal for us, because we all like it that way and are a stable entity. I am a family man and a traveller at the same time. I’m just incredibly lucky and grateful that Lisa is ticking just like me — and Balu and Nino anyway. We’re certainly not the average. But we always wanted to experience life to the fullest — and with one another. With our rolling home we have found the perfect solution. So actually, yes: we live our dream.