¨¨¨.~=%$@#                                          #@$%=~.¨¨¨
¨¨.~=%$@##                                          ##@$%=~.¨¨
¨.~=%$@###                                          ###@$%=~.¨
¨¨.~=%$@##                                          ##@$%=~.¨¨
¨¨¨.~=%$@#                                          #@$%=~.¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.~=%$@             ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨             @$%=~.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.~=%$             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.          @$%=~.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.~=%$                                          $%=~.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.~=%$@                                          @$%=~.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨.~=%$@#                                          #@$%=~.¨¨¨
¨¨.~=%$@##                                          ##@$%=~.¨¨
¨.~=%$@###                                          ###@$%=~.¨
¨¨.~=%$@##                                          ##@$%=~.¨¨