Diplo and Chris Rock Escape Burning Man Festival After Catching Ride in Fan’s Pickup Truck
Diplo shared on social media that he and Chris Rock made it out of Burning Man after heavy rainfall turned the festival into a muddy mess, leaving attendees unable to get in or out.
In a video posted on the DJ’s Instagram, he can be seen riding in the back of a pickup truck with the comedian and others. “A fan offered Chris Rock and I a ride out of Burning Man in the back of a pick up,” he also wrote in the video. “After walking 6 miles through the mud.”
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The music producer added in the post’s caption, “I legit walked the side of the road for hours with my thumb out cuz i have a show in dc tonight and didnt want to let yall down. Also shoutout to this guy for making the smart purchase of a truck not knowing it was for this exact moment.”
Rock also shared a clip on his Instagram Stories of the thick mud that formed on the festival’s grounds after a heavy rainstorm battered Nevada’s Black Rock Desert Friday night and into Saturday morning.
MSNBC analyst Neal Katyal also hiked out of the festival, noting on Twitter, “It was an incredibly harrowing 6 mile hike at midnight through heavy and slippery mud, but I got safely out of Burning Man. Never been before and it was fantastic (with brilliant art and fabulous music)…except the ending.”
Due to the inclement weather, attendees have been ordered to “shelter in place” as well as to conserve food, water and fuel.
In an update Saturday afternoon, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement, “The Bureau of Land Management and the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office officials have closed the entrance to Burning Man for the remainder of the event,” which was set to go until Monday.
The sheriff’s office advised people to “avoid traveling to the area; you will be turned around. All event access is closed.” The Nevada Department of Transportation also closed all travel lanes at Nevada State Route 447 near W Pyramid Lake Road due to flooding, according to the statement.
Several festivalgoers have been documenting their experiences on social media, showing the difficult reality of trying to trek through the mud. Some people could even be seen tying trash bags around their shoes and legs in an attempt to make walking easier.
According to the festival’s website, “Burning Man is a global ecosystem of artists, makers, and community organizers who co-create art, events and local initiatives around the world.” The festival, which sees an average of 70,000 attendees each year, initially started in San Francisco in 1986 before moving to Nevada in 1991.
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