Tenth Annual Miles of Possibility Route 66 Conference

The Tenth Annual Miles of Possibility Route 66 Conference will be held Thursday – Saturday, October 9-11, 2025, in Joliet, Illinois, with the theme “Road to the Centennial.” The main conference activities will take place at the Joliet Area Historical Museum (JAHM) on Route 66.

The keynote speaker is Rhys Martin, author and photographer from Tulsa, Oklahoma. His love of travel was awakened in 2009 when he sold all of his possessions and left the country. For ten months, he lived out of a backpack and explored southeast Asia and Europe. When he returned home, it was with fresh eyes for his home state. As he drove the back roads of Oklahoma, Rhys discovered the significance of historic Route 66 to the greater American story. He has traveled all 2,448 miles of the Mother Road and continues to seek out the quiet Main Streets of the Midwest.

Rhys’s travel writing and photography has been featured in numerous publications, including Tulsa People Magazine, This Land Press, Route 66 Magazine, Nimrod Journal, The Oklahoman and Tulsa World. He also wrote the book Lost Restaurants of Tulsa, which features the stories of nearly 50 iconic eating establishments from the city’s past. Rhys is the President of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association and serves on multiple boards and commissions related to the Mother Road and its upcoming Centennial in 2026. He loves to connect with people and share his experiences.

The complete slate of speakers, evening activities, and host hotel information will be announced soon.

The 2025 conference is made possible by the City of Joliet, Heritage Corridor Destinations Convention & Visitors Bureau and Joliet Area Historical Museum. Additional presenters of past and present conferences include: Bloomington-Normal Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, City of Edwardsville, Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau, Illinois Coal Museum at Gillespie, Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66, Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway, McLean County Museum of History, Ryburn Place at Sprague’s Super Service, Town of Normal, and Visit Springfield Tourism Bureau.

Registration for the conference sessions (Friday-Saturday, October 10-11, 2025) is now open at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/10th-annual-3-day-miles-of-possibility-route-66-conference-tickets-1366114337759

For updates and fun facts, go to https://www.facebook.com/Route66MilesOfPossibility and @route66_milesofpossibility on Instagram. Register now to secure your place in the 2025 version of the only annual, ongoing conference event dedicated to Route 66!

For more information, visit https://route66milesofpossibility.com, or contact Cheryl Eichar Jett by email at route66mop@gmail.com.