§,§,,,,§,,                                          §§§,§,§§§§
§§§,,,§§,,                                          ,,§§§§,,,,
,,§,,§,§,§                                          ,§,,,§,,,§
,§§,§§§§§,                                          §§,,§§,,§§
§,§§,,,,§§                                          ,§,§,§,§,§
§§,§,,,§,§             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             §§§§§§§§§,
,§§§,,§§§,             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.          §,§,,§§,,§
§,,,§,§,,§                                          §§§,§,§,§,
§,,§§§§,§§                                          ,,§§§§§§§§
§,§,,,§§,,                                          ,§,,,,,,,,
§§§,,§,§,§                                          §§,,,,,,,§
,,§,§§§§§§                                          ,§,,,,,,§,
,§§§,,,,,,                                          §§,,,,,§§,