On the Trail (in memory of Tim Watkins) – Annual Ride for Tim, Palmer Lake to Monument

By Steve Pate

We reported in the September OCN that the annual Ride for Tim was scheduled for Sept. 13. A group of friends and family of Tim Watkins, who was shot and killed while on a mountain bike ride near Mount Herman on Sept. 14, 2017, met at the Tim Watkins Memorial in Palmer Lake.

After an introduction by Vickey Meeker, who organized the memorial, some of the group rode the Santa Fe Trail to Monument. Despite the torrential rain and hail just before the ride, the Santa Fe Trail was in good shape. Those who attended the social gathering at 300 Days of Shine in Monument shared memories of Watkins, a well-known and well-liked member of the Tri-Lakes mountain biking community.

Travis Morris, catering manager at La Casa Fiesta, used to ride with Tim Watkins and provided chips and salsa for the gathering. The Palmer Lake Fire Department lit the star on Sundance Mountain in Tim’s memory.

Watkins owned a bike shop in the same building as 300 Days of Shine called Balanced Rock Bike Shop (also the name of a biking and hiking trail near Palmer Lake).

Again this year, Jennifer Bucholtz, civilian criminal investigator with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, attended the gathering and was open to listening to ideas that would help her investigation. Bucholtz was accompanied by Detective Jennifer Arndt, also with the EPCSO. If anyone has additional information or ideas that might help find Watkins’s killer, please contact Bucholtz at 719-520-7227, or email jenniferbucholtz@elpasoco.com.

Steve Pate can be contacted at stevepate@ocn.me

Other On the Trail articles

• On the Trail (in memory of Tim Watkins) – Ride for Tim scheduled for Sept. 13 (9/3/2025)
• On the Trail (in memory of Tim Watkins) – Monument Hiking Group planning session (4/5/2025)
• On the Trail (in memory of Tim Watkins) – Monument Hiking Group to Ice Cave Cliffs and Cap Rock (2/1/2025)
• On the Trail (in memory of Tim Watkins) – Enjoy being outdoors, but be prepared (11/2/2024)
• On the Trail (in memory of Tim Watkins) – Prescribed burn promotes forest health (7/6/2024)
• On the Trail (in memory of Tim Watkins) –  Palmer Lake bridge dedication ceremony (6/1/2024)
• On the Trail (in memory of Tim Watkins) – Cadets build bridge over Monument Creek (5/4/2024)
• On the Trail (in memory of Tim Watkins) – Mount Herman “Leap” (4/6/2024)
• On the Trail (in memory of Tim Watkins) – Palmer Lake Reservoir hike (3/2/2024)
• On the Trail (in memory of Tim Watkins) – Black Forest Trails Association (12/2/2023)