.,==*§@@&#                                          #&@@§*==,.
.,=*§@&@##                                          ##@&@§*=,.
.,=*§@&@##                                          ##@&@§*=,.
.,=*§@&@##                                          ##@&@§*=,.
.,=*§@&@##                                          ##@&@§*=,.
.,=*§@&@@@             ................             @@@&@§*=,.
.,=*§@&@##             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.          ##@&@§*=,.
..,,=**@@&                                          &@@**=,,..
,=*§@&@###                                          ###@&@§*=,
.,=*@&@###                                          ###@&@*=,.
.,=*§@&@##                                          ##@&@§*=,.
.....,=§&#                                          #&§=,.....
.,=*§@@###                                          ###@@§*=,.