##@%§^=~,,                                          ,,~=^§%@##
###@%§^=~,                                          ,~=^§%@###
##@%§^=~,,                                          ,,~=^§%@##
#@%§^=~,,,                                          ,,,~=^§%@#
@%§^=~,,,,                                          ,,,,~=^§%@
%§^=~,,,,,             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             ,,,,,~=^§%
§^=~,,,,,,             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.          ,,,,,~=^§%
§^=~,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,~=^§
^=~,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,~=^
=~,,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,,~=
~,,,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,,,~
=~,,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,,~=
^=~,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,~=^