Engine started, trailer hooked up, T/H button gets pushed. After near 40 years of driving nothing but stick shifts the habit continues through use of the pedal to perhaps downshift a little early or upshift by lifting off the pedal momentarily just like driving a stick.
When faced with hills, especially downgrades I'll shift to the manual mode. I don't like an engine screaming at 3000rpm for any extended time.
At times, with full water & ready for a week of no grocery stops or hookups, we weigh about 14,000. Not the heaviest but far from being a lightweight.