Hi Todd! It sounds like you've encountered a bit of "starch attack," this is caused by the high level of amylase enzymes in rye flour. The enzyme's job is to convert starch into sugars, but because of the high level of amylase a lot more sugars are created than are really needed. These sugars don't contribute to the overall structure of the bread, in fact they're what causes this gummy texture you've experienced. A great way to counteract this starch attack is by adding some sourdough culture to the dough. The acid from the sourdough helps to slow down the amylase activity, which in turn makes for a more palatable texture. We'd recommend checking out our Vollkornbrot and Boiled Cider Rye Bread recipes! Another great resource for learning more about rye flour and baking with it is, Jeffrey Hamelman's book Bread. A Baker's Book of Techniques — it's chock full of interesting baking knowledge and recipes. We hope this can help and happy baking! 

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