An innovative house hunting bicycle tour and a Chicago suburb's plans to significantly expand bike routes in and around town may be a glimpse of a future of less reliance on gasoline and internal combustion engines. The "Homewood Green Streets House-Hunting by Bike" tour in the south suburbs and another bicycle real estate tour planned for Oak Park on the west side of the city may be the first signs of a new way of thinking about urban sprawl. The Active Transportation Alliance organized both tours, and judging by participation rates, they will be planning more in the future. Both suburbs have taken great strides to promote walking and bicycle riding to reduce traffic congestion, deter expensive development of new roads and promote healthier lifestyles. Oak Park has launched a 10-year plan to add 20 miles of bike paths, and their first house hunting by bike tour drew nearly 50 prospective homebuyers. Tour participants receive maps that identify homes for sale in the community, and riders can go on their own tour or join other cyclists in organized tours that showcase selected homes for sale. Riders say that riding, as opposed to driving, gives them a much better feel for a neighborhood and community. "It's a much more intimate way to get a view of the community," one said. "The maps direct people off the main streets and onto side streets, where there's more of a neighborhood feel." No Louisville homes for sale bicycle tours are in the works yet, but with higher fuel prices and the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico weighing on everyone's consciences, this could be an effective way to attract buyers. If you're shopping for Louisville homes for sale, you don't need a bike or a car to view the area's best selection of Louisville real estate. Just call 502.744.9504 or point your Web browser to and let your fingers do the walking (or riding)!