[Sunliner]

Ok, this will probably be the dumbest question ever posted by a grown man on this board, but I gotta ask.

First off, I grew up in Louisiana & Mississippi & now live in Florida, so I've driven on flat terrain 99.99% of my driving career, thus I rarely ever have to slide the gearshift selector past "Drive".

Soooo...here it is:
If I'm driving in the mountains, and need to shift in order to avoid going downhill too fast or for power going uphill, is it ok to shift from D to 3 ,2 or 1 while the vehicle is moving? and if so, is there a certain speed I should be at or below when I down shift?

Laugh if ya want, but I don't want to see my transmission in my rear view mirror-now THAT would make me feel stupid!

thanks,
-Mike