Celebrating the life of Tim Watkins

Tim Virgil Watkins Nov 17, 1956, to Sept 14, 2017 

For this post, an ode to my friend, I am not going into any of the circumstances of his heinous passing. Instead, this is a celebration of his life. #BeLikeTim #MissMyTimmy

Loveland Ski Area

I first met Tim Watkins when he was a ski patroller at the Loveland Ski Area. I was a ski bum from Denver; we didn’t have an intimate relationship then; it was more of mutual admiration for our skiing abilities. Tim was mainly an ’11’ skier, meaning he was a downhill-oriented racer who flew straight down the fall line, leaving 11s in his wake. On the other hand, I was the most turns per quarter-mile, a snappy, quick figure-eight skier that thrived in the steep trees and deep powder. We’d talk a little bit, give a wink and a nod from the lift or slope, and go about our business.

Criterium Bike Store

Many years later, when I moved to Colorado Springs, I was browsing around the downtown Criterium bike store when Tim popped his head up while working on a bike and said, ‘Hey, I know you from the Loveland ski area!’ We hit it off right away and became great friends, and the store became a favorite hangout during my lunchtime break from work. I was getting heavily into mountain biking and loved talking about bikes, going through vendor catalogs, and watching him work on them. I got deeply into weight weenie or lightweight parts at the time, and I would pour over the catalogs, weighing parts, and become compulsive about the entire affair. As I recall, Tim ended up nicknaming me ‘Gram,’ and everyone else started to use the name as well. It has been synonymous for many years, and I even called my first website ‘Grams Light Bikes.’ Eventually, most people went back to calling me Brian, but Tim always called me Gram, even 30 years later, and of course, years later, I started to call out ‘Timmy’ during a greeting session (insert South Park reference). Tim was an excellent mechanic with skills and expertise but also had an artistic touch. Tim could be extremely naughty, and he and a co-worker would occasionally stick water and ball bearings in some other stronger and faster mechanics bikes to see if they’d notice. During this time, I also got to see what a great Dad Tim was; his daughter was a tiny little thing, and his son was still in his Mom’s belly. I loved watching them grow up as young children. Tim exuded love, sweetness, and amicableness, and everyone enjoyed his presence and was instantly drawn to him as a friend.

Balanced Rock Bike & Ski

We drifted apart for some years while raising the kids, and I got married and became an obsessive rock climber. Eventually, I got divorced, remarried, and morphed into mountain biking after a long period of addictive and adrenaline junkie rock climbing and whitewater kayaking. Tim and I started to get in touch with each other once again. He had recently opened up the Balanced Rock Bike and Ski store in Monument, which he co-shared with his partner/girlfriend, and we became best buddies. I spent far too much of my free time on post-bike ride afternoons and evenings hanging out with Tim at his shop. My wife ended up calling Tim, my girlfriend, since whenever she wondered where I was and why I was late getting home, I’d answer the phone from Tim’s place. And yes, she was a bit jealous until she met him and realized what a sweetheart he was. I was there often enough that many customers thought I worked there, and on occasion, I would help out when he was busy in the back of the shop. Spending those long hours hanging with Tim and watching his skill as a mechanic was fantastic, and when I couldn’t get a drivetrain tuned, Tim, in an instant, had it purring like a dream. I saw many of his parents and son while he was running BRB. I always got a kick out of his son playing the bagpipes, with its mournful wailing sounds coming out of the shop’s parking lot or in the back garage that adjoined things. That same heritage meant I’d see Tim in a kilt on select occasions, and no, I never asked him what was under it! My two kids would sometimes hang out with me at the store, and they both loved to play on the longboards he had for sale. Of course, they gravitated to Tim’s warmth and friendly vibes. We had many high jinks at the store, and I loved his laugh and smile; he always brightened up my day. If I were down, he’d bring me up, and if he were down, I’d do the same, so we made a great team to keep each other a little more level-headed when dealing with the usual craziness of life. We also hit it off because we were both the same age, although he was 1-year older than me.

And boy, did that man ever have a bountiful head of hair? His red locks were always prominently displayed, usually in a long, shaggy hairdo!

We rode all over the place in Colorado Springs, mainly in the Monument area, and his primary steed at the time was a single-speed Rabbit and later a geared Tessier, and he could almost always kick my butt on nearly any trail. We worked on many trails in the Monument work center, primarily Black Pearl, which was my baby when he finished the rough design. I did so much trail building and maintenance that I eventually joined the FOMP (Friends Of Monument Preserve) group. I’m on the Board of Directors (President), significantly due to Tim’s coercion.

Post BRB

Unfortunately, Balanced Rock Bike eventually closed, a significant loss to the community and the Monument and Palmer Lake biking scene. Tim opened up a short-lived satellite of the Criterium bike store, and I, of course, hung out there, and he once again was my chief mechanic. After it closed, I had to become a better technician since I no longer had my leading man to work on my bike. Tim continued to delve as a mechanic at various locations around the greater Colorado Springs area and eventually worked as a Special Ed assistant in the Lewis-Palmer school district. Once again, we drifted apart after he moved to Crested Butte, married, worked at a bike/ski shop, and had many adventures. Eventually, Tim circled back to his hometown of Palmer Lake. He became a grandad when his daughter had a beautiful little girl, and Tim and I would bike together and see each other far too infrequently.

Other Stuff

He was prolific and hugely instrumental in trail building throughout the Monument area. He constructed many existing trails in the work center that many riders, runners, dog walkers, and equestrians enjoy. Tim was heavily involved with his church and the Palmer Lake community.

Tim was also an artist and made plenty of beaded necklaces and leatherwork for his friends, family, and colleagues, the latter usually designed to be attached to a bike’s stem. He raced mountain bikes locally and all over the West throughout his career, one of his favorites being the Growler in Gunnison.

Conclusion

I think many people could say, “I was Tim’s best friend,” but for me, we were mutual best friends, and I gladly shared my buddy with the world. I would not be the person I am today without him in it, and I am a better man, father, husband, and human being.

On November 17th, 2018, we had a Tim Watkins Memorial Dedication and Celebration for his birthday at the Palmer Lake town library. It was great hanging out with friends and loved ones to celebrate Timmy. They unveiled his new memorial with a miniature replica of Timmy’s old bike, dual water bottle vases, a picture with a chain edging, and a proud Red Hawk flying over the top. Thanks to Jeff Tessier for the fantastic bike work and building the entire piece, Bob Meeker for the hawk, Rob Meeker, and others for getting this in place. The stone it was erected on was recently used to block off parking access to Limbaugh Canyon, and the city moved it from there to the new site in front of the town library.

On September 17, 2024, we had a Ride For Tim, at which around 40 or 50 came out to celebrate everything Timmy. We all rode different trails: Limbaugh, Monument Fire Center, or the Santa Fe Trail, all to celebrate our shared love of Tim.

A new memorial plaque was installed on the rock in front of the town library.

#MissMyTimmy #BeLikeTim 

To Tim Watkins, your smile, laughter, love, friendship, selflessness, sweetness, and warmth you brought into my life for 30+ years, thank you, your girlfriend, your buddy forever, Gram.