##@§%*†=~,                                          ,~=†*%§@##
#§*†=,,,,,                                          ,,,,,=†*§#
##@§%*†=~,                                          ,~=†*%§@##
§§§§%*†=~,                                          ,~=†*%§§§§
§*=~,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,~=*§
§§§%%*†=~,             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             ,~=†*%%§§§
##@§%*†=~,             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.          ,~=†*%§###
##@§%*†=~,                                          ,~=†*%§@##
##@§%*†=~,                                          ,~=†*%§@##
###@§%†=~,                                          ,~=†%§@###
#@§*†=,,,,                                          ,,,,=†*§@#
@@@§%*†=~,                                          ,~=†*%§@@@
##@§%*†=~,                                          ,~=†*%§@##