###&%%^=^. .^=^%%##
##&%^^.... ....^^%#
###&%%^=^. .^=^%%##
#%%=====^. .^=====%%#
&%%^^..... .....^^%%&
&&%%^^^^.. ................ ..^^^^%%&&
###&%%^=^. 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. .^=^%%##
#%%%%%^=^. .^=^%%%%%#
#%^^...... ......^^%#
&%=^^..... .....^^=%&
###&%%^=^. .^=^%%##
&%=^^..... .....^^=%&
&%^=^..... .....^=^%&