July first 2026 Photos-Visits to Dave, Coyote Ridge Corrections Center

I've gone twice now to see Dave in Connell Washington at Coyote Ridge Corrections Center. Since the weather is warm and dry right now, I am able to stay at the Coyote Run RV park. I set up a bed in the car and bring a comfy chair and a cooler that plugs in to the car, a battery, or the RV park power. They have a nice, clean bathroom building with all individual bathrooms containing a sink, toilet and shower.  The office building has a community room with tv, couch and chairs, books and movies and a bathroom. It costs me less than $30 a night, so very reasonable. 

The First weekend, Friday. May 8th and Saturday, May ninth, was Mother's Day weekend. The drive is four and a quarter hours. I didn't have any problem with the drive and checked in with a little time to spare before I needed to be at CRCC to be processed in. Dave and I had a good visit and ate some vended food together for dinner. Each visit allows two photos to be taken and copies are given so we each have copies. 

There are some rules about being in the visiting room, but it is nice and there are games available to play. 

I arrived at 3 pm and Dave came in before 4pm. The visiting time is over at 7pm. I went back to the RV park and sat in the cooling air until almost dark, then went to bed and slept pretty well. The next moring I had breakfast and showered, then packed up and checked out to be over at the facility by check in at 11am. Unlike the night before, there were lots and lots of people there. I didn't connect it with Mother's Day, but I think that is why there was such a crowd. 

Since it was a new visit, we got two more photos. Dave was held up by something going on in the prison that shut down movement. He got there about 12:40. The volunteer lady was there with prison volunteers. Throughout the visit, they handed out crafts and treats. 

The above photo is framed with one of the kits they handed out, a frame and flower sticker. I wasn't supposed to make a heart with my hands-no hand signs are allowed, but the inmate photographer printed it anyway.  There was a Mother's Day trivia game, which we ended up being one of three winners. I got a nice potted Viola plant to take home. 

My second weekend was June 12th trough 14th. We thought the event was Saturday the 13th, so I came over on the 12th, my birthday. I checked in at the RV park and headed over. There were very few visitors cars in the lot. I had checked the time before whether or not I could visit the day before if I was there for an event, and they assured me it was no problem. However, when I gave Dave's DOC number, they said I couldn't visit because it wasn't his unit's day for visitation. Eventually, she called her supervisor and I was allowed to, with the caution that I had used up my one allowed exception and it was recorded in my file. 

We had a really nice visit, we were able to talk in depth as well as on lighter topics. We never even played any games. 

I got Dave some dinner and a snack for me, and ate dinner at my campsite later. I got a call from him soon after I got to camp. It turned out the event for his group was on Sunday, not Saturday. He thought I might need to go back home, and since visiting is closed during the day of events, we wouldn't get to visit again. I immediately decided to pay for another night and not miss the event I came over for. We agreed I would visit again the next evening. Then I went on the website to double check on the visitation schedule and sure enough, it wasn't his unit's visiting time. I knew I would get turned away, so I didn't try to go to that. 

The next morning I had breakfast and went to Othello to look around and see how it had changed and how it was the same. I had an interesting time exploring, both in and out of the car, taking some photos. I went to Walmart and got more food, then had lunch at Taco Time by the walmart. Othello is a little bigger than 40 years ago, and now has Burger King, McDonald's and Taco Bell. The Walmart is a hub for shopping for nearby communities. It was 94 degrees, so when I got back to camp I went to the community room for the afternoon and early evening and mostly just slept and rested. 

This photo is from the Summer BBQ Festival event. It was held in one of the Yards, with grass, on the inside of the prison complex. There were large tent tops set up with long tables and chairs, games set up on the grass, and food and drink all ready to serve. The inmates were there already to greet us as we came across the campus to this fenced in area. I got to se where Dave lives, even his window of his cell, the outdoor pad for their building, the flowers the inmates were growing in the gravel around his building, the apiary where he is learning beekeeping, the area where the indiginous people, the wiccans, and druids do their fires, sweat lodges and ceremonies. Also the gravel artwork created all around the edge of his area and the labrynth for the Bhuddist meditation walks made in the gravel with clumps of ornamental grass around it. The interior of the complex is very stark, all gravel and gray concrete, so it was sweet to see what inmates were doing to try to soften that and be creative and spiritual. 

We had an ample lunch of hot dogs, hamburgers, potato salad, drinks and ice cream. We visited with people he knew and the parents of the beekeeping mentor inmate. We walked around some, it was 94 degrees, so we did stay in the shade as much as we could. At one point, we saw a lot of guards racing to a distant building for a medical emergency, probably an overdose. There was also a big dust devil that came down off the nearby hill down toward us. 

It was a really nice time, there was an inmate band playing. Everyone was so happy and upbeat. Dave pointed out they are all on best behavior, not wanting anything to cut the event short. It was hard to say goodby at the end, but all together it was a very lovely and satisfying time together.