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