@§»».¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨.»»§@
@$\..¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨..\$@
#@$\\»»¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨»»\\$@#
##@@$§\».¨                                          ¨.»\§$@@##
@$\\.¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨.\\$@
##@@$§\».¨             ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨             ¨.»\§$@@##
##@@$§\».¨             THE ALVAR FIELDS             ¨.»\§$@@##
@@§\.¨¨¨¨¨             $$$##########$$$             ¨¨¨¨¨.\§@@
#@$\\».¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨.»\\$@#
###@@$§\»¨ FROM  NORTH   TO   SOUTH,   THIRTY   ODD ¨»\§$@@###
##@@$§\».¨ KILOMETERS.  FROM  WEST  TO  EAST,  FOUR ¨.»\§$@@##
###@@§\».¨ 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 ¨¨¨¨.»\§§@
##@@$§\».¨          TO STAY WHERE YOU ARE.          ¨.»\§$@@##
@§§»»».¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨.»»»§§@
##@@$§\».¨                                          ¨.»\§$@@##
#@@§»».¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨.»»§@@#
##@@$§\».¨                                          ¨.»\§$@@##
@$$$\.¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨.\$$$@
@@§»¨¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨¨»§@@