This is my first 4x4. I read that dry pavement is not good on the 4x4 since a) you don't need it and b) the wheels each try to spin at the same speed and the pavement doesn't have any give.

If I understood the first correctly, will there be a problem if I use 4x4 on a mostly snowy road with some dry pavement peaking through?

You should be fine, like it says dont use it on dry pavement. The mostly snowy roads is just when it clears shift it back out.

Just keep in mind that the thing that is hard on it (while in 4WD) is turning when there is too much traction...

So if you have to take a tight turn and you've hit a dry spot, slow way down to reduce the amount of force that the drivetrain has to deal with... or better yet, take it out of 4WD.

One thing that I learned here is that, once the hubs are locked (after you've engaged 4WD for the first time and as long as you haven't backed up since then with 4WD off (assuming you were going forward when you engaged 4WD in the first place)), you can switch in and out of 4WD at any speed.

It's just that initial one where you have to be going less than 25mph.

Would rolling back while starting off with a manual in first gear count for unlocking the hubs?

If you roll back about 2 to 3 feet the hubs will unlock. 4WD is 2 different steps.
1. Put X into 4WD.
2. Drive forward a few feet to lock in the hubs.
Now that the hubs are locked in, you can switch from 4WD to 2WD back and forth as much as you want. Driving down the snowy road in 4WD, hit a big section of dry road, just put it back into 2WD if you want. The Hubs stay locked in until you put it into 2wd and drive a few feet in the opposite direction that you locked them into. Good luck and enjoy that X

OK. I think I have it now. Thanks everyone!

One more question... if I stay on beginner sort of stuff and not go into extreme trail riding... do I really need skid plates?

Ummm - MAKWAY has an 05. Aren't the hubs always engaged on the 05's? Also, you can switch from 2wd to 4hi at up to 62.5 mph on the 05's according the the owners manual.

The general concepts the others have mentioned are all the same, though.

Usually - if there's lots of snow I'm in 4wd on the side streets, but 2wd on the highways unless the highways are completely covered with snow.

Sort of. There aren't any locking hubs to begin with. The front drivetrain is always spinning.