Route:
GPS readings (all 19L)
1 0249074 8487798 Tinqui bridge
2 0249757 8487454 second bridge
3 0249542 8487042brow
4 0249461 8486642junction
5 0250515 8483018brow
6 0251323 8481762brow
7 0252214 8480706 
8 0252678 8480404 
9 0254123 8478502 river crossing
10 0254544 8477852 campsite

Leave Tinqui past the school, crossing a bridge (1). Follow the track along a stream to a second bridge (2), which you again cross. Above you and to the right is a house, but rather than climb straight up it is better to take ramps to the left and right.

Continue along the path, which is a bed of pebbles and needs to be pushed. Your reach a brow (3) and the gradient eases off. You are now on a reasonable dirt road. It zigzags to cross a ravine, and when you have climbed the far side you turn left at a junction (4).

It remains a good earth road with kilometre posts, though the upward trend is pronounced. The road arrives at a village where it gives out to a footpath which is not always obvious. It follows a stream which is now quite small. You climb (push) to a brow above the village (5). The route is now a little clearer, and partially rideable. Some way along you cross the stream and continue heading upwards. To your left are curious oven-like stone constructions. You reach a brow (6) and soon after a slight col. Now you drop down a little and swing left to a pleasant rideable path above the Q. Upismayo.

Please note that the routes here are crossed frequently by drainage ditches. Do nothing which could damage them. If necessary carry your bike across them.

The quebrada has boggy margins and the thought crosses your mind that at some point you are going to have to cross it. In is an obstacle unmentioned by the guidebooks. For this reason we hugged it through the horrible Bog of Upis. Tracey memorably expressed her gratitude to Colin for choosing such a delightful route.

There is no bridge of any use to cyclists, and you are better advised to follow the scant path which contours round the edge of the bog. As you pass through the village, spare a scowl for the thieving Upideans.

We crossed the quebrada at the narrowing of the valley (9). On the other side of the stream (its true left bank) sulphur bubbles through the bog.

The path is now good and mostly rideable, but our only shoes were wet through. We stopped for lunch and it started to snow. Not liking this we pitched camp only a few yards on (10) on a sandy beach. This is where our bikes were stolen. Upis has a bad reputation, and we had no wish to stay there, but nor had we any wish to force our bikes over high passes in worsening weather.

The route we covered was about 50% rideable and needed very little carrying. The passes are probably harder. Route-finding was no problem. However the IGN map is less than averagely accurate, misplacing the Q. Upismayo by a km. The route we followed was probably the best for cyclists, but not perhaps the best for walking.

We had wondered whether to take a muleman. He would certainly have slowed us down, but he might have been some protection against theft.