I fulltime usually in the southeast US and about half the time if I couldn't get eastern arc I wouldn't watch tv. Go for the Pathway X2.
As for moving parts, if you get rocks in the bottom delrin gears you might have a problem but it'll grind sand just fine. You shouldn't but it can happen.
I have a big round pizza pan that I put out inverted and set the X2 on it; that helps prevent it sitting in a puddle. I don't use a tripod because it can blow over pretty easily and it's better to have it rolling around than crashing to the ground.
