About Us

Rich

Born in Lowell, Massachusetts I now consider myself the first official Vermonter not to have at least three prior generations born here. Growing up as an Army brat, I eventually attended 9 schools and lived all over the country. The best part was spending high school in Heidelberg, West Germany (no speed limits on the autobahn and your parents owning a Porsche was teenage heaven!). Wanting to spend my life driving tanks, I went to The Citadel in Charleston, S.C., on a 4 year Army ROTC scholarship. Going into my senior year, Mr. Army determined that my eyesight was not even good enough for the Finance Corps. A career reset was needed. After a graduate degree from the University of Vermont (a.k.a. "Groovy U-V"), I was hired as an engineer with a major battery company. I worked there for almost 25 years until I got irrationally "rationalized". We ran the financial numbers and determined that years of saving and investing meant that we could do whatever we wanted, even if that meant driving the country in an Airstream. Thus, Luv Subbin was born.

cindy

Born in Florida, I grew up as an Army brat. I attended 9 different schools. This included 3 years in Japan where I developed my fondness for Japanese and Asian cooking. My undergraduate degree is from Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. War Eagle! Go Tigers! I then obtained a law degree from the University of Toledo. After passing the bar, I worked as a legal editor, doing contract work for a publishing company. I recently "early retired" so I could pursue my passions which include all things travel and cooking. The Luv Sub is a perfect way to do both. My cooking specialty is breads and pizzas, but I love trying new dishes and discovering different cuisines. I am always doing research to improve my skills. I am also trying to like this thing called "hiking".

random stuff

Rich's Favorite Quotes

"Make us to choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong..." - Excerpt from the West Point Cadet Prayer.

My dad graduated with the West Point Class of 1964 and I heard him say this many, many times as I was growing up. It is a universal truth. When making a decision, this quote will always guide me.

"The winds and the waves are always on the side of the ablest of navigators" - Edward Gibbon

There are many things in life that we cannot control - like the winds and waves. But if we're prepared, smart, and technically astute, we will make the most of those challenges. This is how I live my life.

"A smooth sea never made a skillful sailor" - President Franklin D. Roosevelt

This saying comes in handy when things sometimes do not go as planned. Many of the items on our checklists or the way we do things are the result of some very fortunate rough seas.

"The mark of a great shiphandler is never getting into a situation that requires great shiphandling" - FADM J. Ernest King

This quote is somewhat the opposite of the previous one. Still, I love it. Cindy and I are extremely well prepared due to our procedures and fanatical attention to detail. As a result, we hope never to "create a problem".

"In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." - President Abraham Lincoln

This is why we do what we do. Yes, the responsible thing is to continue working until Cindy is 65. But I've seen too many people die too early with too much money in the bank...

"In victory, you deserve wine. In defeat, you need wine." - Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte

Self explanatory.

"If you don't know the name of the greatest fighter pilot in the world, then you ain't it." - Naval aviation saying courtesy of CDR (ret.) Ward "Mooch" Carroll, F-14 Radar Intercept Officer and YouTuber.

There's a fine line between confidence and arrogance. I firmly believe that for anyone to believe in you, you must believe in yourself first.

"Chief of the Boat! Put the beer on ice!" - RADM Eugene B. "Lucky" Fluckey, Commander of the U.S.S. Barb (WWII submarine) and Medal of Honor recipient.

As Captain of the U.S.S. Barb, CDR Eugene Fluckey always secured a number of cases of beer prior to any war patrol. Whenever an enemy ship was spotted, he got on the 1MC (boat-wide intercom) and made the above announcement for all to hear. If the ship was sunk, every crew member received a ration of one ice cold beer. The U.S.S. Barb was obviously one of the most decorated submarines of WWII and the only submarine to be credited with the destruction of a Japanese train! Whenever we back up the Airstream I always get on the radio and say "C - Call the Ball and Put the Beer on Ice!".

"No Plan Survives First Contact With Implementation" - Mark Watney from the book The Martian.

This is actually a variation of the quote "No Plan Survives First Contact With the Enemy" by Prussian Field Marshall Helmuth von Moltke The Elder. Cindy and I are planners. But we know that things will often go haywire. Realizing this makes it more likely that we will adapt to the situation and move forward.

"Do or do not! There is no try." - Yoda

Yes, this quote may come from a green puppet in a movie but I have always remembered it.

"Don't give me any reasons why it can't be done". - Wally Byam, Founder of Airstream

I make things happen. It is both my greatest strength and my greatest weakness.

CINDY'S FAVORITE QUOTES:

"Sweet Cheese and Crackers!" - Judy Hopps from the Disney movie "Zootopia".

This quote works for so many occasions and you will often hear Cindy mutter this whenever she is surprised, happy, or disappointed.

"Anyone can cook, but only the fearless can be great" - Chef Gusteau from the Disney movie "Ratatouille". Cooking is one of my passions - especially in the Airstream! I'm always up for trying new things especially when it comes to baking bread.