They still have to Patrol the "closed" areas....they don't care....they are fanatical about keeping people out....They always have been. Since the asshole tackled the phantom Duck in the B2V protest ride from the 80s.....They are NOT our friends.
You learn something new every day
The quote refers to a legendary, highly controversial piece of off-road history from the 1980s involving a massive clash between dirt bike riders and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
Here is the breakdown of what those specific terms mean:
1. The B2V (Barstow to Vegas) Protest Rides
The
Barstow-to-Vegas (B2V) Desert Classic was a massive, incredibly popular desert motorcycle race that drew thousands of riders throughout the 1960s and 70s. In the mid-1970s, the BLM banned the race, citing environmental concerns and the protection of the desert tortoise.
Off-road enthusiasts felt the ban was an overreach. In the 1980s, riders organized unsanctioned, illegal "protest rides" to ride the historic trail anyway, directly defying the federal government.
2. Who was the "Phantom Duck"?
"The Phantom Duck of the Desert" was the alias of Louis McKey, a passionate off-road advocate (and later attorney). Alongside Rick Sieman (the legendary editor of
Dirt Bike Magazine), the Phantom Duck used dirt bike magazines to call on riders to join him for a "trail ride" along the banned B2V route. Because it was framed as a casual trail ride rather than an organized race, they hoped to bypass BLM permit laws.
3. "Tackled the phantom Duck"
During these protest rides, the BLM staged massive crackdowns. Armed rangers lined the course, took photos, documented tire tracks, and actively tried to physically intercept and arrest the protest leaders.
When the user on the forum mentions an "asshole [who] tackled the phantom Duck," they are referring to a BLM ranger or law enforcement official who physically took down or arrested Louis McKey during one of those high-tension 1980s protest rides. The Phantom Duck and Sieman were dragged through federal court multiple times, though they eventually won a temporary legal battle that brought the race back for a period.
Why it matters to the forum thread:
The person posting on the Glamis Dunes forum (
Realbadlarry) is using this story to argue that the BLM has a long, historical track record of being "fanatical" about keeping off-roaders off public lands. To them, the "Phantom Duck" incident is ultimate proof that the government is an adversary to the off-road community.
