#@#@&**~-. .-~**&@#@#
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@#&*~..... .....~*&#@
#&**~..... .....~**&#
#@#@&**~-. .-~**&@#@#
@@#@&**~-. ................ .-~**&@#@@
#@#@&**~-. 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. .-~***&@#@
@#@@&**~-. .-~**&@@#@
#@#@&**~-. .-~**&@#@#
###@&**~-. .-~**&@###
#@#@&**~-. .-~**&@#@#
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##@***~~-. .-~~***@##