Bruised knee, ego

[Reverend SC]

Saturday at Donner was going to be perfect. Hard pack, kinda crusty, the kind of conditions that keeps the riff-raff in the lodge until things loosen up. Me? I love it, ice is nice, great board response, edges edging, all your gear you paid so much money for is paying off. I take the first run down to loosen up, all is well. A-OK.

I rolled up to the lift, waited for only one chair, coasted to the loading area, stepped off and....

...before I knew it, I was getting up from a quick fall. The loading zone was pure ice, with a tiny dusting of sugar. My boot never got any kind of traction. I slammed my knee hard, right on the patella. On the ride up, I got that queasy-injured feeling, I know I was a little pale. I unloaded at the halfway spot, gimped aside, strapped in and cruised down. It didn't really hurt to board, but if I barely touched it, OUCH! That's gonna leave a mark...