#@#@§*:».. ..»:*§@#@#
#@#@§*:».. ..»:*§@#@#
##@§§*:».. ..»:*§§@##
@#@**».... ....»**@#@
@§§*»..... .....»*§§@
@§:....... ................ .......:§@
###@§*:».. 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. ..»*§@#@##
@*»....... .......»*@
#§§*:..... .....:*§§#
@@#@§*:».. ..»:*§@#@@
##@@§*:».. ..»:*§@@##
#@@@§*:».. ..»:*§@@@#
@****».... ....»****@