I have grown quite a few extra long handle gourds over the last three years. You can leave em outside or bring em in.
Freezing dosen't seem to hurt them. I have read that the seeds will not be viable for replanting, if the gourd freezes before the seeds inside have dried.

Personally I have had bad luck the few times that I have removed the epidermis while the gourd was still green. The gourd would sometimes shrivel and warp.

I just let them dry naturally, til they feel like balsa wood or you can hear the seeds shake. This may take several weeks to several months. Only then do I soak em and remove the epidermis with a scour pad. Good luck

bcrazy..
Thanks for the tips. Mine are still outside and un-scraped. I think I'll leave them that way.

I'm so pleased with the results I'm willing to take the time to prevent needless shrinking.
Thanks again for taking time to answer.

Burt in Central Ohio