PRESQUE ISLE – Jacquie Phelan believes mountain bikers need to honor their “inner chicken.”

Decked out in leopard print tights, khaki shorts, a silk button-down shirt and tiny dreadlocks, the 50-year-old mountain biker from California taught women about fear and fun in mountain biking during a women-only bike clinic Saturday at the Nordic Heritage Center in Presque Isle.

Phelan is one of the founders of the National Off Road Bicycling Association, the founder of the Women’s Mountain Bike and Tea Society (WOMBATS) and a three-time NORBA professional race series championship winner.

She stressed two things to the group of about 14, which included women from as far away as Orono: don’t be afraid to be scared, and mountain biking can be fun without being dangerous.

Encircled by helmet-clad women of all ages, Phelan talked about the importance of listening to the “inner chicken,” which knows when a person is ready or not to go over a jump or try a new skill on a mountain bike trail.

“And do not let anyone shame you into staying on the bicycle. Tell them Jacquie said so,” Phelan said to the group.

It’s knowledge she’s gained from personal experience.

“I think this gang is thrilled to know that I have ridden scared most of my riding life,” Phelan said during a break in the daylong clinic. “There seems to be a strong sense of curiosity, enthusiasm and trepidation here and that’s a recipe for learning.”

Phelan first gained notoriety in her native California in the 1970’s by riding around on her bike while wearing a helmet with a rubber duck glued on top – her way of drawing attention to the sport and showing that even if it was scary, it could be fun.

She first made her way to New England during her college years and loves to return. So when a local woman asked her to come teach a clinic, she jumped at the opportunity.

Two years ago, Dawn Schillinger McPherson of Presque Isle was looking online for mountain biking clinics and clubs for women because she “wanted to learn about mountain biking from someone other than my husband.”

She came across a WOMBATS chapter in Massachusetts, which is how she found out about Phelan.

“I said, ‘I’m not going there, so how can we get her up here?'” McPherson said.

With help from the Maine Winter Sports Center, event organizers were able to bring Phelan up Aug. 12-14 for the women-only clinic and a coed clinic on Sunday.

Phelan taught women the same principles she promotes with WOMBATS – encouraging a feminist social atmosphere where the group supports all efforts and shares scones and butter afterwards. It’s not about “Sweet’N Low, Diet Pepsi and staying skinny,” she said.

Phelan believes mountain biking for women should include everyone from the young and inexperienced to the older and wiser.

“We want to get them all on a bike and willing to try. Women are awesome in their willingness to try,” Phelan said.

Fran Barter, 57, of Presque Isle said she was glad she gave the clinic a try.

“I felt very intimidated about coming, so I was glad to see others who felt the same way as I did – nervous,” Barter said. “Jacquie made us able to laugh at ourselves, not sweat it and make it fun.”

Phaedra Upton, 38, of Orono said she came because she’d never had anyone formally teach her anything about mountain biking and thought the all women event was unique.

“I liked that,” she said. “It seemed to make it easier for the group to try things.”

That’s just what Phelan was aiming for with the clinic.

“I want women to know they can ride and still keep their dignity and elbow skin intact,” Phelan said. “If they can ride away with the essence of balance on a bike, it will have been worth it. If figuring out a twisty trail happens as a result of that, bonus!”