This should help you understand Mark...

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...v58JCGoPOBHR4A

Grats on the new D-D Mr G...
LOL I thought that video was serious until about the dingle arm.

I've never been in a car with a continually variable transmission, and I have no idea how they actually work, but from what I have heard and read it doesn't actually "shift" gears.
I have a subaru legacy with a CVT and basically there's a series of pulleys and belts that allow the transmission to shift super smoothly. It's supposed to assist with gas mileage as well as ride quality. When I jump on the freeway with the subi the RPMs go up to 4k and pretty much stay there until I've reached desired velocity and then they go down to about 1.5k-2k at 60mph.