....&&&.&. &.&&&..&&&
&...&..&&& &&&..&.&..
&&..&&.&.. ...&.&&&&.
&.&.&.&&&. &..&&&...&
.&&&&&&..& &&.&..&..&
&&.....&.& ................ &.&&&.&&.&
..&....&&& 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. &&&.&.&...
&...&.&..& &..&&&&&..
&&..&&&&.& &&.&....&.
&.&.&...&& ..&&&...&&
.&&&&&..&. &.&..&..&.
.&....&.&& &&&&.&&.&&
&&&...&&&. &...&&.&&.