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Despite cloudy skies and impending rain, GW students, faculty and staff gathered on the Mount Vernon Campus Quad Saturday morning to make the third annual 24-mile Mount Vernon to Mount Vernon Bike Tour.

More than 50 students made the trip this year from the Mount Vernon Campus to Mount Vernon, Va., said Ashley Venneman, the student activities coordinator for Mount Vernon Campus Life and the event’s organizer. Venneman said the bike ride was a “unique opportunity” for students to see the original home of George Washington.

“This event was developed to further connect The George Washington University with its namesake,” Venneman wrote in an e-mail. “The event brings people of different aspects within the University together uniting over riding their bikes and the historical relationship between GW University and George Washington’s former home.”

Many students who made the trip this year also made the trip last year.

“I love seeing the sheep on the Vern, the actual Vern,” sophomore Jenna Curtis said. “I love going up there and seeing all the little baby lambs.”

This year was junior Jackie Abdalla’s third trip.

“It’s really fun and organized and they give you transportation back,” Abdalla said.

Haruna Minoura, a first-year international student, heard about the trip through the International Services Office.

“I wanted to visit George Washington’s house,” Minoura said.

Both Minoura and Abdalla were most excited about the scenery on the way.

“It’s really scenic,” Abdalla said. “It’s not all through the city. It’s very green compared to the city.”