,,,,,^-**$                                          $**-^,,,,,
,,,,,,^-**                                          **-^,,,,,,
,,,,,,,^-*                                          *-^,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,^-                                          -^,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,^                                          ^,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,,             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,,             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.          ##£$**-^,,
,^-**$£###                                          ###£$**-^,
,,^-**$£##                                          ##£$**-^,,
,,,^-**$£#                                          #£$**-^,,,
,,,,^-**$£                                          £$**-^,,,,
,,,,,^-**$                                          $**-^,,,,,
,,,,,,^-**                                          **-^,,,,,,