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The 127-year-old record for wettest year in Arkansas was demolished in 2009 with 79.13 inches. The previous record was set in 1882 at 75.54 inches. Historic.

Christmas Eve I had to make a quick run from Cabot to Conway to LR Airport and back to Cabot. It had been raining for two days straight. At around 11:30pm I merged onto 67/167 from I-440 only to find a long line of cars. It took about 30 minutes to inch up to what was holding everyone up. Water.

Cars were stalled out everywhere. I could see just off the interstate billboards that were partially submerged.

There were no police. No one giving direction.

It was man against H2O. Epic.

I took my foot off the brake. Me and the Nissan Maxima waded in. I didn’t really have a choice. Where else could I go? When I saw that the water rose to mid bumper on the car in front of me, I knew this was serious business. To make matters worse, there was no end in sight. Just water lapping against the cement wall as far as I could see.

I kept one foot on the brake and one foot on the gas somehow remembering that water that makes its way too far up a car’s tailpipe isn’t good. The seals on the car doors began to give as water leaked into the floorboard.

I made it. I started breathing again. The Maxima’s belts were screeching for joy.

Two days later I was driving from Cabot to Memphis. Check out the on-ramp at the Lonoke exit.

Crazy thing was no one seemed to notice the water. Go figure.