.,-:%§@###                                          ###@§%:-,.
.,-:%§@###                                          ###@§%:-,.
..,,,,-%@#                                          #@%-,,,,..
......,:%@                                          @%:,......
.,-:%§@@@@                                          @@@@§%:-,.
.,-:%@####             ................             ####@%:-,.
.,-:%§@@##             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.          #§§%%:,...
.,-:%§@###                                          ###@§%:-,.
..,,--::§#                                          #§::--,,..
.,-:%§@###                                          ###@§%:-,.
.,-%§@####                                          ####@§%-,.
....-:§§§#                                          #§§§:-....
.....-%%%@                                          @%%%-.....