You probably heard some bad things I'm sure, I'd be more worried about driving through hwy 599 through silver dollar up to pickle. I used to work up in savant lake/Sioux lookout area, loved spending that time there. I'm not speaking on everyone's behalf, but it's an isolated area (along with pretty much everywhere in the north) and I think I can understand people maybe feeling intimidated and maybe wanting to stand their ground, feeling like outsiders maybe have some sort of secret plan. The people are usually really good people, they want you to converse with them, support them, etc, but there likely is going to be a bit of a barrier. Usually just a matter of treating others how you want to be treated, supporting these reserves and small northern towns, maybe learning a bit of their background. I've spent almost every summer of my life living in the north, all across Ontario, the biggest irritating thing for me is seeing these Americans coming in with every last bit of food and gas they might consume, not spending a dime locally, other than a fishing license, camping for weeks on crown land and leaving things as a disaster. Same goes for the guys coming up from Toronto for hunting, big truck, trailer, bus, ATvs,boats, loaded down as far as loaded down can get, they don't want to spend a dime locally because everything costs too much.
Anyhow, yes some of the roads are endless, scenery is amazing, people are great. You never have to get too far out of the city to see trees and wildlife and even wild people doing wild things! My brother does a group ATV ride annually from Thunder Bay Area to Sioux lookout and back on the ol grand trunk railway, I've only been on the rail end a little ways to Upsala and have done a ton of snowmobiling up that way. Anyhow, I'll likely be spending my holidays this year doing things around Thunder Bay, probably a couple trips to Chapleau, maybe even that trip up to chisasibi QC to dip my toes in James bay that I've been planning the last couple years, rather than traveling too far anywhere else.
