###,,,##,,                                          ,,#,,,,,,,
#,##,,###,                                          #,,#,,,,,,
,,###,#,##                                          ,#,,#,,,,,
,,#,#,,,##                                          ,,#,,#,,,,
,,,,,#,,#,                                          ,,,#,,#,,,
,,,,,,#,,,             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             ,,,,#,,#,,
,,,,,,,#,,             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.          ,,,,,###,,
,,,,,,,,,,                                          #,,,,#,##,
,,,,,,,,,,                                          ,#,,,,,###
#,,,,,,,,,                                          ,,#,,,,#,#
##,,,,,,,,                                          #,,#,,,,,#
,##,,,,,,,                                          ,#,,#,,,,#
,###,,,,,,                                          ,,#,,#,,,,