...^^=*££@ @££*=^^...
.^~=*%£@## ##@£%*=~^.
.^~=*%££@@ @@££%*=~^.
.^~=*%££@# #@££%*=~^.
.^~=*%££@# #@££%*=~^.
.^~=*%££@# ................ #@££%*=~^.
.^~=*%£@## 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. £££%*~~...
.....^=*££ ££*=^.....
....~~*££@ @££*~~....
.^~=*%££@# #@££%*=~^.
.....^==%£ £%==^.....
.^~=*%££@@ @@££%*=~^.
.....~~*£@ @£*~~.....