§§$$*--~~. .~~--*$$§§
§§*-~~~~.. ..~~~~-*§§
###§$*/-~. .~-/*$§###
##§§$*/-~. .~-/*$§§##
#§**-~.... ....~-**§#
#$$/~..... ................ .....~/$$#
###§$*/-~. THE ALVAR FIELDS .~-/*$§###
#$**//~... $$$##########$$$ ...~//**$#
####§*/-~. .~-/*§####
###§$*/-~. 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. .~~~-***§#
####$*/-~. .~-/*$####
###§$*/-~. .~-/*$§###
#§§*/-~... ...~-/*§§#
#$/-~~.... ....~~-/$#
###§$*/-~. .~-/*$§###
§§*/---~.. ..~---/*§§