.......-«/ /«-.......
........-« «-........
.........- -.........
........-« «-........
.......-«/ /«-.......
......-«/$ ................ $/«-......
.....-«/$$ the alvar fields $$/«-.....
....-«/$$@ $$$#@#@#@#@#@$$$ @$$/«-....
...-«/$$@@ @@$$/«-...
..-«/$$@@# from north to south, thirty odd #@@$$/«-..
.-«/$$@@## kilometers. from west to east, four ##@@$$/«-.
..-«/$$@@# thousand meters. from topsoil to stone, #@@$$/«-..
...-«/$$@@ a foot or two. no roots can fester, no @@$$/«-...
....-«/$$@ dust can linger. @$$/«-....
.....-«/$$ $$/«-.....
......-«/$ 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. $/«-......
.....-«/$$ $$/«-.....
....-«/$$@ @$$/«-....
...-«/$$@@ @@$$/«-...
..-«/$$@@# #@@$$/«-..
.-«/$$@@## ##@@$$/«-.
..-«/$$@@# #@@$$/«-..