MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Biking in the winter has been no big deal for Peter Hodne, but on St. Patrick’s Day weekend, his luck changed.

While sitting in a chair near his hospital bed at Hennepin County Medical Center, Hodne recalled what happened on Saturday.

“It looked very nice out. The streets were melting off, and the sun was out. I didn’t think it would be that icy,” he said.

But even with his snow tires, Hodne couldn’t make it through a left turn and crashed. He broke his collar bone and cracked his pelvis. He was, however, wearing his helmet at the time of the crash.

For 20 years, he’s been the principal at Highlands Elementary in Edina. He says what happened Saturday is a good lesson for his students.

“Wear your helmet and watch for that ice,” Hodne said.

Miles Voigt made it through his first fall of the winter last week.

“Just riding down at full speed, didn’t see the ice under the snow, and my back tire just kicked out and over I went,” he said.

Voigt told us it’s been tricky this year, with the snow pack. He said it’s tough to tell how bad it is.

As for Hodne, he will have to be off his leg for at least six weeks, but he’s thankful it wasn’t worse. And by now, he feels like the rest of us — ready for spring.

“Yeah, that would be good. I won’t be riding my bike until at least then,” he said.

Hodne isn’t sure when he’ll get back to work at Highlands Elementary.