There's enough room to sleep in a BMW X3 if it's just you, and maybe enough for a very close couple if neither of you minds being tight on space. I tested this setup by myself, and at a little over 6 feet tall I was able to fit by moving the front passenger seat all the way forward, folding both rear seats down, and sleeping on the passenger side.

What surprised me is that space wasn't really the biggest problem. The bigger issues were heat, bugs, and how the mattress handled the transition where the flat cargo area runs out. My cheap Intex mattress was actually fine, and the rear headrests helped support the head end more than I expected once I extended them, but I still stuffed clothes underneath that area to give it some extra support.

So yes, sleeping in a BMW X3 can work. It's not just about finding a mattress that fits. You've also got to figure out how to stay comfortable once the flat cargo floor runs out, how to keep cool on a hot night, and how to get airflow without letting the bugs in.

If you have ever tried to hit a potassium goal through diet alone, you know how tedious it gets. This breakfast skillet is one of the more practical solutions I have found. One pan, minimal prep, and it does not require any willpower to pull off at 7 in the morning.

I adapted it from a few similar recipes I was already making. The main changes were dropping the cheese to cut fat, adding spinach for potassium, and finishing with pickled red onions for a little brightness. The whole thing is suprisingly filling for how light it looks on paper.

If you want a roomy car-camping tent that feels like a real upgrade from a cramped 4-person dome, the Eureka Evanston Screened 6 is a solid choice. I’ve used it on multiple trips (including heavy rain) and it’s earned a permanent spot in my camping gear.

This is a hands-on review of the Evanston Screened 6: what it’s great at, what’s annoying, who it fits best, and which accessories are actually worth buying. I’m a little over 6' tall, and my biggest motivation was simple: I wanted more room to move around and a setup that didn’t feel like a nightly yoga class just to change my pants.

The Woods of Wenonah Trail System is a network of easy, scenic trails in Wenonah, NJ, totaling just under 6 miles and maintained by the Wenonah Environmental Commission.

Trails are fairly easy to travel on, but some get muddy or swampy (there are planks in most of these areas).

Along the trails you can see Wenonah Lake, Comey’s Lake, Dilk’s Pond, Monongahela Brook, Mantua Creek, and a Tea House.

There are small loops of 1 mile or less around certain areas such as the lakes and Monongahela Brook, but the longer trails (Break Back Run Trail, Mantua Creek Trail, and Glen Trail) are more straight-through. By combining a few trails (plus a little street walking), I made a loop that began and ended at the parking lot for Wenonah Lake.

If you want a New Jersey hike that feels like you went somewhere, but still fits into a busy day, Tillman Ravine Trail is a solid pick.

This is a fairly easy, mostly out-and-back hike (about 1.8 miles) in the Tillman Ravine Natural Area within Stokes State Forest in Walpack Township, NJ.

You’ll walk through a ravine carved by Tillman Brook, pass small waterfalls, and cross a few little bridges. It’s short, but it doesn’t feel boring.

The trail also has a fork early on, and choosing the right direction makes the whole hike better.

India Brook Park in Mendham, NJ contains a number of hiking trails that loop around the park allowing you to decide if you want to take a short or longer hike.

The main feature of the park is Buttermilk Falls, small waterfall along the India Brook. It empties into a small pool area that I saw described as as swimming hole. It didn't look deep enough to actually swim in but it did look like you could maybe sit in it and cool off.

The trails are fairly easy. Not many hills or difficult passes. The views of the brook and the falls are beautiful and the trails in general are well maintained. It can get a bit muddy after rains. I found the trail system confusing and not well marked. Two trails both had yellow blazes and I did get off my intended path and have to find my way back on it at one point.

If you have ever stood in front of the bread aisle unable to pick between a soft pretzel and a bagel, this recipe is the answer to a problem you did not know could be solved. You get the salty, dark, snappy crust of a pretzel on the outside and the dense, chewy, sandwich-ready interior of a proper bagel. Both in the same thing. At the same time.

I came up with the idea after making soft pretzels with my girlfriend's daughter. Somewhere in the middle of it I noticed the dough and the process were nearly identical to bagels. So I improvised a version that combined the two. This was actually the first time I tried to wing a recipe without looking anything up online first, and I'm quite happy with how they turned out. Even if baking is not usually your strong suit, the dough is very forgiving.

The key to getting that real pretzel flavor and color is the alkaline boiling bath. Cooking the shaped dough in a mixture of water, baking soda, and a little honey before baking is what creates that deep golden-brown crust and the slight snap when you bite into it. Without this step you just have a dark bagel. With it, you have something that genuinely tastes like a pretzel on the outside. The honey balances the bitterness just enough without making things sweet.

If you spend much time camping in state parks, you have probably wondered whether you can cook with charcoal in the park fire rings instead of firewood. I had the same question on a recent trip.

The short answer, at least in my home state of New Jersey, is yes. Charcoal is generally allowed in park fire rings as long as there are no broader fire restrictions in place. Still, every park is different, so it is always smart to confirm with the rangers before you light anything.

But the real question isn't just whether you can use charcoal.

The real question is why you might want to.