Austin Austin Vince and Lois Pryce, great ambassadors of adventure and cinematographic legacy, show their unconditional support for the Carlo Simi Museum - Sad Hill.

Tu Vozen Pinares

By Germán Martínez Rica

March 4, 2025

The Parador Nacional de Lerma witnessed, last Friday, February 28, an inspiring encounter between cinema, adventure and history. Austin Vince and Lois Pryce, two emblematic figures in the world of motorcycle travel and documentary storytelling, visited the region and met with one of the founders of the Sad Hill project, Joseba del Valle, with the aim of contributing to the future Carlo Simi Museum - Sad Hill and promoting the creation of the innovative "Spaghetti Western Trail", a cultural route that seeks to vindicate the legacy of the landscapes and scenarios that gave life to the "Spaghetti Western" genre.

[In the photograph we can see Joseba del Valle Barrio, Austin Vince, Lois Pryce and Jasia Warren who has collaborated by carrying out institutional work in the project)]

Austin Vince, producer and adventurer recognized for global expeditions such as Mondo Enduro and Terra Circa —documentaries that captured his intrepid spirit on a motorcycle across continents—stressed the importance of preserving the cinematographic memory that the museum houses. "These landscapes are not only settings; they are characters in the history of cinema. The 'Spaghetti Western Trail' not only honors directors such as Sergio Leone, set designers such as Carlo Simi, musicians such as Ennio Morricone or actors such as Eastwood..., but also connects new generations with the magic of a genre that transformed world cinema," said Vince, whose narrative approach has always sought to intertwine adventure and culture.

[Austin at the World Travel Market in London.]

 For her part, Lois Pryce, author of bestsellers such as "Lois on the Loose", founder of the Adventure Travel Film Festival and collaborator in relevant media in England, highlighted the potential of the route as a tool for sustainable tourism and historical dissemination. "Traveling by motorcycle allows you to feel the terrain, the history under the wheels." This initiative will not only attract film buffs, but also travelers who want to live an authentic experience, linked to heritage and local communities," explained Pryce, whose career exploring countries such as Iran or Africa alone reflects his commitment to intercultural dialogue.

[Austin making the journey on a motorcycle to document the route.]

The Carlo Simi - Sad Hill Museum, custodian of vestiges and anecdotes of the Western filmed in the Iberian Peninsula, finds in this collaboration an international impulse. The "Spaghetti Western Trail" seeks to map iconic locations – such as the canyons of Almeria or the plains of Burgos – integrating traveling exhibitions, guided tours and open-air screenings. Vince and Pryce, with their expertise in documentaries and dissemination, will provide not only visibility, but also an innovative approach to turn the route into a bridge between the cinematographic past and contemporary adventure tourism.

"Austin Vince is obsessed with 'empty Spain'. He longs to bring visitors to back roads and little-visited areas. He is fully aware that Spain is a lovely country to explore without problems and is unparalleled." Vince's Spain is one of villages and valleys that even Spaniards have not heard of.