We are in zion park this afternoon contemplating our utah adventures of the past few weeks.
we are truly novices so please give us the benefit of a doubt if our thoughts seem self-evident: 
1. our biggest help was the auxiliary fuel tank. some of the best runs, such as white rim drive, are up to 150 miles in length and that can be a lot longer if a loop is blocked by a landslide and one has to return from one end to the other, nearly doubling the trip length. low range probably yields about 5 miles per gallon. do the homework, do the math.
2. water: carry it in different containers so that if one container ruptures you haven't lost the lot.
3. gps: good maps with gps coordinates is a big help...some of the trails are difficult to follow and become a veritable maze over a distance of a few miles.
4. travelling alone: a winch is good and a pull-pal is essential to be able to use the winch. don't leave home without it.
5. mud: chains for all 4 tires
6. clothing: can't say enough about merino wool in layers. we frequently had 4 layers, plus a hat with ear covering for winter winds. the wool stays warm when wet and, despite two weeks straight in the same clothes, no stink reported/detected. recommend icebreaker brand. really superior stuff. leather boots coming high on the leg helped keep us warm and gave some sense of reduced probability of a problem with a snake encounter. not very likely at this time of year, anyway, but comforting to me.
7. time of year: this is a great time to explore southern utah. very few folks and almost no bugs. we are advised that soon the slightly warmer temps will lead to ravenous female sand flies looking for a blood meal...and a person in the vicintiy may be the only target for miles and miles. am not sure what, if any, sort of insect repellent will work on these folks.
8. uv: you can and will get a sunburn right through the windshield. apply and reapply tanning lotion with regularity and don't miss the ears.
9.communications: satellite phone may be your best friend. globalstar currently offering unlimited usage for $20 per month. some windows in which not able to get a satellite due to loss of adequate number of satellites currently being addressed by globalstar but will require several years for full fix. still...no cellphone coverage outside of town. some vhf/uhf...lots of park service vehicles with it...but rangers advised it was pretty spotty..even with repeaters.
10. be cautious: getting hurt out here is a big problem. and pay attention to warnings..they tend to be low-key and not exaggerated. the park service is definitely not your mother.
11. flashlights: suggest a high power led flashlight. we are using a light that provides loads of illuminatin for up to 9 hours on two AA batteries...believe it is a fenix unit. not particularly expensive. AA batteries easily available.
12. don't ever try to drink from a nalgene bottle while driving on shelf rock unless your real objective is a bath.
13. the slowest way to arrive at an offroad destination for neophytes like us...is to hurry. for sure driving fast, for us, means mechanical damage and not enough time to assess the best "line" on the rock. make time your friend.
14. satellite radio: consider sirius or xm. benefit is the ability to get a current take on weather in the area and the next few days. many trails are simply impassable when wet..and driving in a wash in a rainstorm is prescription for a burial.
Finally, we cannot sufficiently express our gratitude to all who have helped us get this far. the good work is theirs, the mistakes are ours. Zach, Ozzie, Tim and Jonathon at German Master Tech in Bend, OR helped us prepare the vehicle and gave us encouragement. Our daughters Christina and Kimberly have been our advocates and teachers all along the way...as good as it gets for a parent. and we thank all those along the way who have shared their stories and insights. experiencing a remote area such as the white rim drive...and recognizing that the area has been a tropical inland sea, a sahara desert, and now deep canyons and high snow capped peaks provides a perspective on humanity and our place in the world that simply cannot be described. If you have a chance, go change your life!!
-The Russells
