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#..#..####             ................             ....###.##
.#.##.#...             the alvar fields             #...#..##.
.###.###..             %%%##########%%%             .#..##.#.#
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..#.#.#.## 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.          ...##.#.##
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