Sorry for dredging up an older topic, but thought I'd throw in my 2 cents from the flatlands.....
If I'm just cruising to work on the back roads at 55-60, I can run 5th gear at about 2200 RPM and am currently getting between 23 and 25 mpg, depending on how I drive it. I generally shift around 2500-2700, unless I'm trying to merge into traffic or late to work, then I can run up to the 4500 range and get all kinds of gitty-up boogey power! I've done mileage tests at different shift RPM's, and the 2500-2700 range is generally the most fuel efficient, and it drops off pretty quickly to sub-20 mpg if I run my shifts much higher than 3500. I've got the stock gears and 31x10.50 mudders, and can pull up gentle inclines at 60 with no problem in 5th gear. When I get back into eastern Kansas where my property is, the hills are much steeper (much like Arkansas or parts of Missouri), and I have to pull 4th to make the grade. I can run 70-75 mph in 5th on the flats around here (Wichita area) as long as the headwinds stay below 15-20 mph, then I have to go to 4th. This is all with speed compensated by the proper speedo gear swap after the larger tires, and double checked with GPS.
I have found out since I put in the electric fan and pulled the air restrictor tube that if I try to run 2nd gear up to 4000 RPM's on wet pavement, it gets all kind of squirrely, and will kick sideways when I slap it into 3rd on a speed shift!! Sure put a spot in the seat when I found that one out!!