How did the first McDonald's perfect the taste that took over the globe? Where could you go to receive the first messages from Mars and probe photographs sent to NASA? And how did an hourly employee from the Inland Empire invent Flaming Hot Cheetos? You'll find the answers to these questions and so many more in Secret Inland Empire"š€š"a guide to all of the wildest, wackiest, and most wonderful places and people that make up the communities of Riverside and San Bernardino in Southern California. Take a tour of this wide-open frontier unlike any other, where the confident "I got this" ethos is alive and well. Did you know that almost all of the sweet dates we enjoy come from the eastern deserts of the Inland Empire? Or that Dr. June McCarroll redesigned highways here by adding the white line"š€š"the first mile by her own hand? It even gave rise to the first innovative power plant method that now lights up 90% of the world. Author and native Riversider Larry Burns brings an insider's perspective to unlocking the secrets of this eclectic and innovative region. From the beach, to the mountains, to the desert, you won't miss a thing with this unparalleled guide to this ambitious empire of communities.

Larry Burns draws inspiration and ideas from the heady mixture of sights, sounds, peoples, and places of his hometown, Riverside CA. He is an active community leader, booster, and all-around fan of the recreation, entertainment, arts, and culture ready to be discovered across the Inland Empire. He fears and welcomes a future run by sentient robots, and wonders what they will talk about and do for fun when they are in charge. He is a founding member of the Inlandia Institute, a non-profit literary organization. He teaches English at Riverside City College and Humanities at Southern New Hampshire University.