###@%^=-,¨                                          ¨,-=^%@###
#@@@%^=-,¨                                          ¨,-=^%@@@#
#%=,,¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨,,=%#
###@%^=-,¨                                          ¨,-=^%@###
#%%%^^=-,¨                                          ¨,-=^^%%%#
@@^^^--¨¨¨             ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨             ¨¨¨--^^^@@
###@%^=-,¨             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.          ¨,-=%@####
###@%^=-,¨                                          ¨,-=^%@###
###@%^=-,¨                                          ¨,-=^%@###
###@%^=-,¨                                          ¨,-=^%@###
###@%^=-,¨                                          ¨,-=^%@###
##%%%^=-,¨                                          ¨,-=^%%%##
###@%^=-,¨                                          ¨,-=^%@###