Ron's snowboarding socks

Ron wants some socks for snowboarding. He's got some pretty specific requirments: They must match his boots (so I'll make these black with orange accents), they must be knee-high, they must be padded from knee to ankle along the shin-bone, and they must be warm.

I've decided to knit a pair for him with Lamb's Pride Nature Spun (worsted weight) yarn. They should be thick and toasty.

Follow along on the knitting adventure. I'll post details as I knit them. First step: measuring, guage sample and needle choice.