,,,,,,##,,                                          ,,,,#,,,#,
#####,,,,,                                          ###,,,#,,,
,###,,####                                          ,#,,#,,,#,
,,#,,,,###                                          ,,,,,,#,,,
#,,,##,,#,                                          #####,,,##
,,#,,,,,,,             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             ####,,#,,#
,,,,######             the alvar fields             ###,,,,,,,
###,,#####             %%%##########%%%             ,#,,######
##,,,,###,                                          ,,,,,#####
#,,##,,#,, from   north   to   south,   thirty  odd ,###,,####
,,,,,,,,,# kilometers.  from  west  to  east,  four ,,#,,,,###
,#######,, thousand meters. from topsoil to  stone, #,,,##,,#,
,,#####,,, a foot or  two. no roots  can fester, no ,,#,,,,,,,
#,,###,,##             dust can linger.             #,,,######
,,,,#,,,,,                                          ,,#,,#####
,##,,,#### here  is  earth, clay,  and  sturdy  low ,,,,,,###,
,,,,#,,### plants.  bushes  frame  the  strip.  the #####,,#,,
###,,,,,## earth is  bare in  patches  as  large as ,###,,,,,#
##,,###,,,               you and me.                ,,#,,###,,
,,,,,#,,##                                          ,,,,,,#,,,
####,,,,,# cross it  to get to  the ocean, or don't #####,,,##
###,,###,,          to stay where you are.          ,###,,#,,#
##,,,,#,,,                                          ,,#,,,,,,,
,,,##,,,##                                          ,,,,#####,
##,,,,#,,,                                          ###,,###,,
,,,##,,,##                                          ,#,,,,#,,,
##,,,,#,,#                                          ,,,##,,,##
#,,##,,,,,                                          ,#,,,,#,,#