@=\\\~~... ...~~\\\=@
#@#@*=\~.. ..~\=*@#@#
##*\...... ......\*##
@===~..... .....~===@
#@#@*=\~.. ..~\=*@#@#
#@#@*=\~.. ................ ..~\=*@#@#
#@=\\..... 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. ..~\=*@#@#
@@@=\\.... ....\\=@@@
@==\~..... .....~\==@
@@#@*=\~.. ..~\=*@#@@
@@#@*=\~.. ..~\=*@#@@
#@#@*=\~.. ..~\=*@#@#
#@#@*=\~.. ..~\=*@#@#