,:~;**§¶##                                          ##¶§**;~:,
,,:~;**§¶#                                          #¶§**;~:,,
,,,:~;**§¶                                          ¶§**;~:,,,
,,,,:~;**§                                          §**;~:,,,,
,,,,,:~;**                                          **;~:,,,,,
,,,,,,:~;*             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             *;~:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~;             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.          §**;~:,,,,
,,,:~;**§¶                                          ¶§**;~:,,,
,,:~;**§¶#                                          #¶§**;~:,,
,:~;**§¶##                                          ##¶§**;~:,
,,:~;**§¶#                                          #¶§**;~:,,
,,,:~;**§¶                                          ¶§**;~:,,,
,,,,:~;**§                                          §**;~:,,,,