##%%*--¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨--*%%##
#@@%%$*--¨                                          ¨--*$%%@@#
#@%%%$*--¨                                          ¨--*$%%%@#
###@%$*--¨                                          ¨--*$%@###
@$**-¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨-**$@
###@%$*--¨             ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨             ¨--*$%@###
@@@%*-¨¨¨¨             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 ¨¨¨¨¨-*%%#
###@%$*--¨ EARTH  IS  BARE IN  PATCHES AS LARGE  AS ¨--*$%@###
@@%$$-¨¨¨¨               YOU AND ME.                ¨¨¨¨-$$%@@
###@%$*--¨                                          ¨--*$%@###
####@%$--¨ CROSS  IT TO GET TO THE OCEAN, OR  DON'T ¨--$%@####
###@%$*--¨          TO STAY WHERE YOU ARE.          ¨--*$%@###
@@@%$$*--¨                                          ¨--*$$%@@@
##@%%$*--¨                                          ¨--*$%%@##
###@%$*--¨                                          ¨--*$%@###
###@%$*--¨                                          ¨--*$%@###
@$*-¨¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨¨-*$@
@@@%%$*--¨                                          ¨--*$%%@@@