Mileposts/Calendar

UNCOVERING THE PAST

Adults and youngsters age nine and up can participate in oneA day and week-long excavations (May through September) at the Raven Site Ruin 12 miles north of Springerville in the White Mountains of east-central Arizona. Working with archeologists, would-be Indiana Joneses - no special skills or experience are required - will explore dwellings inhabited more than nine centuries ago by the Anasazi and Mogollon peoples. Included in the week-long excavations are hikes into nearby canyonlands, a tour of the Casa Malpais Museum and Archaeological Park, and a trek along the petroglyph trail at Lyman State Park. Program costs, including meals and lodging when needed, range from $18 to $395.

For quick visits, guided tours ($3; free under 12) are offered daily at 11:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M.

For further information and to make reservations, contact White Mountain Archaeological Center, HC 30, St. Johns, AZ 85936; (602) 333-5857.

TUCSON TOURS

The free visitors guide available from the Metropolitan Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau includes self-guided walking tours of downtown, where the Spanish established the original walled Presidio of San Agustin del Tucson in 1776.

An exciting mix of the old and new, the area has many buildings of historical and ar-chitectural interest, including the Fish House, site of the El Presidio Gallery; the Spanish Colonial-style Pima County Courthouse with its spectacular mosaic dome; St. Augustine Cathedral, modeled after a church in Mexico; and the Congress Hotel, which was damaged by a fire in 1934 that led to the capture of the John Dillinger gang.

The guide can be picked up from a bin outside the bureau (130 S. Scott Ave., Tucson, AZ 85701; (602) 624-1817), which is open weekdays 8:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. and weekends from 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.

LIZARD LORE

Those who wonder how Arizona's fabled Gila monster could miss being named the state lizard can find the answer to that puzzler and much more in a readable book by former wildlife biologist Dave Brown and one-time chemist Neil Carmony.

In Gila Monster the authors use facts, leavened with entertaining anecdotes, to debunk the myths about the largest and only poisonous lizard found in Arizona (or the entire country, for that matter). Contending that no other creature - except possibly the vampire bat has inspired as many misconceptions and flatout tall tales, Brown and Carmony separate nonfacts - that the Gila monster rolls over like a shark before clamping its viselike jaws on a victim from the truth, which is plenty strange enough. After all, this is a critter that spends nearly all its life underground and walks around in a skin that looks like a beaded handbag.

To obtain the paperback, stop by the Arizona Highways gift shop, 2039 W. Lewis Ave., Phoenix (open weekdays, 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.); or the Arizona Highways Gift and Information Center, 455 N. Third St., Phoenix (Monday-Thursday, 10:00 A.M.-9:00 P.M; Friday-Saturday, 10:00 A.M.-10:30 P.M.; Sunday, 11:00 A.M.-6:00 P.M). You also can telephone toll-free 1 (800) 543-5432; in the Phoenix area, call 258-1000. The book is $8.95, plus shipping and handling if we mail it to you.

EVENTS BREWERY GULCH DAYS

September 5-7; Bisbee The old copper-mining town of Bisbee celebrates with a long weekend of fun in Brewery Gulch, where several bars, restaurants, and shops have replaced the brothels and gambling houses of more raucous days. Watch or compete in mining contests (drilling and mucking, shoveling ore into carts), kick up your heels at a dance, check out the chili cook-off, enjoy the entertainment, and don't miss the Mz Old Biz Pageant, a "serious spoof" of beauty contests. Admission is free. Information: 432-5421.

SEPTIEMBRE FIESTA

September 12; Wickenburg Historic Frontier Street and the park at the excellent Desert Caballeros Western Museum will be the site of even more goings-on than usual when this old gold-mining town salutes its Hispanic heritage.

Enjoy the folklorico dancers, cheer your favorite entry at a salsa-making contest, browse among the arts-and-crafts booths, and sample tasty fair food. Admission is free. Information: 684-5479.

YAVAPAI COUNTY FAIR

September 24-27; Prescott Pigs don't fly at this annual outing, but they sure move a lot faster than usual: one of the highlights is a race in which proud porkers show they're made of more than bacon, and the winner's circle isn't just for thoroughbreds. Other fun things to see and do include arts-and-crafts exhibits, agricultural and floricultural displays, a tiny tots' activity area, and a carnival with amusement rides. There will be an admission charge. Information: 445-7820.

FALL FESTIVAL

September 26-27; PinetopLakeside At what organizers call the largest festival in the area, there'll be 180 arts-and-crafts exhibitors, a classic-car show with 200 entrants, a Saturday morning parade, an antique show, a 10-K and fun runs, and a dog show. And when you decide to stoke up on calories to fuel even more fun, you can participate in "waiter's day," a festival highlight that gives new meaning to the expression "servants of the people." At a selected restaurant (it changes yearly) the police chief, mayor, and other local politicos double as waiters, taking orders, fetching food, and then donating their tips to a worthy cause. There will be a festival admission charge. Information: 367-4290.