1) Who are you?
  
I've also been a lurker on this list for a while.  I'm 
Gretchen Ward and I'm currently the cultural resource 
program manager for Petroglyph National Monument in 
Albuquerque while I am also working on an archaeology 
Ph.D. at UNM.  I have thoroughly enjoyed the posts on this 
list from folks in San Diego as that is where I grew up 
and completed my undergrad (SDSU - double major in history 
and anthro).  My interest in historical archaeology stems 
from my research into Spanish colonial period sites over 
the years.  No matter how many prehistoric sites I've been 
involved with over the years, I always end up working in 
places with Spanish colonial connections.  My first field 
school experience was on the San Diego Presidio site in 
1978. Since that time I've reinvented myself a number of 
times, but I always come back to archaeology.

2) Dirtiest moment in the field.

I can handle anything except tiny bugs.  A few years ago I 
was out with survey crews on the Natchez Trace Parkway 
slogging through the Mississippi underbrush.  I'm 
basically a kid from the Southwest.  I have never ever 
before removed so many nasty little bugs from myself upon 
returning from the field.  I won't go into the 
details...it wasn't pretty.  Give me rattlesnakes and 
scorpions any day!
  
3) Your idea of the best dressed archaeologist, i.e. what 
practical gear should they be wearing?

Anything comfortable with a big floppy hat for those hot 
Southwest days.

Gretchen Ward
Archaeology Graduate Program
Department of Anthropology
University of New Mexico