Question:
How do you determine what gear to go down a hill in. I've geard the same or one lower gear than you climbed it in guideline, but what if you haven't climbed it?
What gear do you take some of the steeper grades in like Black Mt., Saluda or Fancy Gap. How about the large ones out west. I'm talking about with a full load on.

Answer:
I'm trying to think how you'd be starting off on a hill you haven't climbed??.Even with a trainer,one of you climbed the hill and knows what gear it took to climb it.
I usually apply the principle mentioned,although sometimes i might use a little higher gear.The main thing is,especially if heavy, use a gear that allows you minimul braking,and maintain a safe speed.If it's posted at 35 miles an hour,try and stay at or below that speed.Don't be "billy big rigger",because speed kills!!.

Answer:
Rockefeller,
You live in KY. If you left home for the first time in a truck and went thru Cumberland gap and down 25E you would be going down a mountain that you didn't have to climb before going down.

Answer:
Before each steep hill theres usually a sign about a 1/2 km before you hit the grade that tells you how steep the hill is ahead. I live in B.C and its nothing but one large steep hill so they don't bother me. If your in doubt you drop as many gears you think is needed drop more than you need its easier to pick up gears than drop them. If you use it in combination with a JAKE you should beable to navigate the hill without smoking the brakes. That brings me to my other point are your brakes adjusted properly if your traveling around with brakes that are out of adjustment you shouldn't be traveling on hills.
Nobody has gotten killed by going down a hill too fast f*** the traffic behind you it takes a few extra seconds or minute to safely get down the hill do it. It will only take one scare where you leave a big brown stain in your undies because you went down a hill to fast to make you take hill decents slower.
The one thing to have to make sure of when going down a hill in a lower gear is don't allow the rpms of the engine peg itself to the governer its not good for the engine. This applies also when your using the JAKE if your using a Jake you pick up a gear to keep the rpms from getting too high.
You guys that live in the flatlands should come to places with hills so you get some experience so when you do have to travel on hills its not so nerve wracking.
GL