Hi Bruce,

I ride a Gold Rush frequently on the Schuykill river trail, but I avoid
that section along the river. There is an alternative route that goes
through the streets of Manayunk, which is a little hillier but has no
unpaved stretches. Regarding scrubbing out the front wheel, you have
to be extremely careful in any non-paved situation. I have also dumped
my Gold Rush on gravel and sand. The good thing about the bike is that
you don't fall as far as on an upright. As you discovered, taking your
feet off the pedals in a fall is a good way to break your leg. You
didn't mention whether you ride clipped to the pedals or not, but I
would recommend that you get some cleats, and if you do by chance find
yourself going over, just hang on the bars, leave your feet where they
are, and let the side of the seat and your hip take the impact. I have
survived two 25mph+ crashes without serious injury this way. And as
others have said, a light touch makes the bike much more controllable.
I do think that the Tour Easy and Gold Rush are a little twitchier than
uprights, but at speed they are extremely stable. The more you ride
the better it will get. Best of luck to you,

Mort