If a tourist needs a postcard in the forest but there’s no one around to sell it to him, it must mean the federal government is shut down. In order to provide meals, a restroom and any gift store trinkets a visitor to the Blue Ridge Parkway area might need, the innkeeper of a lodge on federal land has decided to reopen.

The man runs the business but leases the building and the land from the federal government, reports USA Today, and was forced to close the lodge at the height of tourism. All those leaves to ogle and nowhere to stay — at least until the owner opened his doors again.

He said he’s fighting back after seeing World War II veterans reopen their memorial in Washington, and welcomed visitors back to the lodge as of noon today.

The dining room, gift shop and country store are open to visitors who need a place to go along the 469.1 miles of parkway. And if someone needs a place to stay, he’s going to take guests for the weekend as long as he can stay open.

Rangers have been dispatched to the inn, but the innkeeper says he’s not sure what they’ll do.

“Conscience, conviction. That’s about it, “he said of his defiant move. “It’s conscience and conviction that have taken over me and I just can’t roll over any more,” he said.

Blue Ridge Parkway inn reopens, defies feds’ shutdown [USA Today]

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