Centennial Park, Howard County

One of the first parks John and I found when me moved was Centennial Park, and it's become one of my favorites.  In additional to beautiful views of the lake and wildlife, there are a ton of recreational opportunities at the park as well.  There are tennis courts, basketball courts, boat rentals, fishing, biking, horseshoes, and lots of pavillions for shade and get-togethers.  This past Sunday the park hosted a triathlon and Centennial was still in a little bit of disarray after the influx of people.  The grounds crew was busy picking up discarded gel packs, squished water cups, and all the extra refuse generated by fans, participants, and well- wishers.   It was still, as always, a nice walk with Zoey around the lake trail.  Based on mapmyrun's estimate it's roughly a 3 mile walk which is just enough to wear out Zoey, but still leave me with enough energy to get a good workout in myself later in the day.  If I get out early enough with her we run, but since temperatures are still creeping up quickly, we've stuck to strolling the last week or so.  This park sporadically has pick up bags, so bring your own, but they do offer three water coolers with cups at various points around the lake, although you can't count on them always being full.  I tend to view the cooler stations as a back up if we've gone through more water than expected, but it's still a very nice thing that they offer at the park, even though sometimes it's a little bit hit or miss.  A few weeks ago, I saw a black snake which was undeniably gross, even though I know that they are harmless and good vermin killers.  That's something to keep your eyes peeled for, although I've only had one spotting in about 15 or so visits, so the snake to visit ratio is very low at this point.  A lot of people frequent the park, but it's not so busy it's uncomfortable and not so quiet you feel totally isolated.  Zoey has made a lot of friends on our visits and most everyone is very friendly.  There are some outer trails that I have not explored yet, but look forward to checking out. I'll be sure to update as we continue to get our bearings.   It's funny how most things in this area are meant to sort of blend in rather than be overt.  John and I laugh all the time when we discover something super awesome near us that has little or no signage and that looks kinda incognito from the street.  The Columbia area's blending in of natural elements with commercial things is taking some getting used to, but I kinda like their style in that way, although it can be a little frustrating for newbies like us.