Inspiration - Finding it on the Map

The Foggy Road North

This trip would be a chance for me to work on my novel, find some direction for my next WIP. Find direction? At one point I could barely find the road! Above is a pic taken during the day, the fog was so thick, I couldn't see the cars in front. How eerie is this scene? Wouldn't it make a great setting for a murder mystery?

Most travellers take the coast route to Queensland, but I like the inland one. There's the cutest little towns, pubs and gardens. I like quirky, and I found one region chocca with it. For a couple of hours, we would drive through towns, villages and past farms that all hosted... old bikes.

I first noticed it when I started seeing old children's bicycles hanging from trees like christmas ornaments or posted to the tree like a sign:

Before long, I saw animals fancied from bike bits and other 'junk', our favourite was the dinosaur:

 This got my brain whirling. How did the bike art come about? Was it just one guy who created these sculptures and travelled through his entire county distributing them? Or did one person try it and everyone followed their lead? Was it a council decision to distribute the old bikes? What happens if a town beyond the border decides to go ahead and put up bikes as well, if I hang a bike from a tree in my front yard, will I be slapped with a copyright infringement notice?

This got me to thinking how our stories begin, or where in my travels I might locate the town hosting my inspiration. Everywhere. It begins with us questioning and imagining. I immediately wondered what kind of man created this bike art and, was the entire community happy about it? Perhaps someone disliked the idea enough to kill him? (Not really I hope, just pondering some book ideas).

I also heard of a town nearby called 'Welcome' - and immediately I thought, great location for a murder, especially if the victim is a newcomer to the town, 'cause I don't think they'd be feeling the welcome.

So what happens after you start questioning, how does it become a story plot? For me, it comes with play. I play with the ideas and mix them up. I look at all the possibilities and one will latch onto me, make me need to write it. And darn it, somehow I'm gonna work that weird bike art man into my WIP. :-)