..^=\%*@## ##@*%\=^..
.^=\%*@### ###@*%\=^.
..^=\%*@## ##@*%\=^..
...^=\%*@# #@*%\=^...
....^=\%*@ @*%\=^....
.....^=\%* ................ *%\=^.....
....^=\%*@ 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. *%\=^.....
....^=\%*@ @*%\=^....
...^=\%*@# #@*%\=^...
..^=\%*@## ##@*%\=^..
.^=\%*@### ###@*%\=^.
..^=\%*@## ##@*%\=^..
...^=\%*@# #@*%\=^...