@@^~:::::.                                          .:::::~^@@
#@@^^:....                                          ....:^^@@#
#§~.......                                          .......~§#
####@§^~:.                                          .:~^§@####
##@#@§^~:.                                          .:~^§@#@##
##@#@§^~:.             ................             .:~^§@#@##
@#@§~~::..             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.          .....~§#@#
##@#@§^~:.                                          .:~^§@#@##
##§^~.....                                          .....~^§##
###@@§^~:.                                          .:~^§@@###
##@#@§^~:.                                          .:~^§@#@##
##@#@§^~:.                                          .:~^§@#@##
#@@§^~~:..                                          ..:~~^§@@#