Is Trucking Really For Me...

It can be done, and done easy if you know how to do it.

If you are afraid you are in a gear too high kill the speed with the brakes and just before you let off the brakes get out of gear, rev up the engine and drop it into the next lower gear as you let off the brakes.

Works like a charm. I didn't make it a habit to do that, but some times a mountain gets steeper part way down, or you didn't know the grade and start at the proper gear at the top.

Some routes even have a short down grade at the top, a very brief stretch close to level and then really drop off. If you know the grade you can let it roll and then do your down shifting just before the mountain really drops off.